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Be a responsible Local Guide

We are the local guides. Some of us are just the beginners while some are at the top level. Irrespective of our levels, we all are contributing to maps to be a part in better making the maps. 

The reason why I have started this is I have been noticing a lot of irrelevant photos and reviews in maps for quite some time now. Those might have brought points to some of our profiles and helped us reach a higher level, but think about you as an ordinary person who is seeking for information about a particular place and seeing these reviews or photos in maps. What or how will you feel then? People do rely on reviews from a local guide more than an ordinary contributor. We do not have the right to misguide them. 

For an instance, I was trying to change an address of a visa processing center in Dhaka, who have recently shifted to a new location now. But I could not do so. Google did not accept my suggestion for modification. I understand it could have been because of some rules set by foreign missions. But while trying to see the photos of the place, I found some personal photos in there. There were also photos copied from other websites. I have already reported those as irrelevant though. 

There is a clinic in Dhaka that I was going to post my review on after I visited them few months back. To my horror, I found some really abusive comments from other contributors in the review box. Well, I reported about those comments as well. But my point is why would we do it at first place? All we should say about a place is either it's good or bad, or talk about their service or standard or price. But we cannot talk by attacking anybody personally in the review box. That is not just unethical, but rude also.

Ever since we have become a local guide, we automatically are carrying the responsibility to bring the truth on the map. Let it be adding a missing place, or giving review on a place or adding picture or even creating map. We are given these responsibilities because we asked for it. And also because Google trusted our work to do good for the community. We have no right to let them down. Please contribute to this tool responsibly. Remember, your contribution makes a difference too.

Lastly, if we can't be good local guides, let us try not to be worse local guides at least. Please remember that. 

 

Dhaka Division, Bangladesh
11 comments
Level 7

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

Hi Sonia,

 

You are actually making sense here. All the local guides must behave in an ethical manner on purely basis. I don't understand why people keep uploading pictures that are totally irrelevant to the place it has been added to. Thanks a lot for reporting such pictures. Your efforts are truly appreciated by the community in making Maps a better place to rely at 🙂

 

Cheers,

Zalak

Connect Moderator

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

@SoniaK HI 

This is  vary sad, i just  read your topic, its usually happen with all, 

So in this situation we should have to responsible to our fellow local guides. above all we should have to be a great human at first. 

Otherwise you can post here these place you have mention ... thats why our Local guides team may take a look into these places ..

 

 

 

Level 9

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

I agree 100% with what yo said @SoniaK, I feel exactly the same for a lot of pictures that I have seen were absolutely irrelevant to business.

 

Google Local Guides Team should work on two things basically:

 

First: Composing an AI algorithm to spot those users misusing those features, and accelerate actions of reports done by other users or local guides who have more integrity.

 

Secondly: Come out with creative methods to raise awareness of news users who are not familiar with the terms and rules, and warn those who are continuously making extremely low quality contributions, and if necessary disable them completely.

Level 8

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

Hi.

I ve reported a lot of irelevant photos, but thease photos are still there, not deleted.... How to be with this....?

Level 1

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

 Being a beginner, I was just going through all replies to "Be A Good Local guide ", and  could assess how a  person who needs help ,when misguided, feels. My stress is on the feelings ,how a Person's mind reacts..

                Sir, I learnt that unwanted things - Photos et al, need not be published.this is the First time that I'm reading letters of LG's. ( I Liked the short Form ). Your second point in asking for  Creative methods for Beginners, is really Appreciated.and I  Thank you for the suggestion.one thing I noted and learnt ,is if I ,a Beginner, show Unwanted things ,I'm prone to be The Target for Seniors Temper.

Thank you , sir, you are very clear. 

Ruth 

Level 5

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

It depends on your rank and points. they discover if your denial is correct or not by the help of WOT(web of trust)

be patient and try over every day

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

Good morning, Sonia!

I love about the topic that you made on this discussion. It is such a really important things that happens in our Google Maps. I also found many photos and review that doesn't related to a place (many taken from websites). Even, I have found a photos from KFC that was added in McDonald's. Hahahaha

 

I also doubt for several reviews that made by people that are not a Local Guide. It could be spam (because it is made by a people that just have one contribution and written in a bad/harsh languages).

 

To get over this, I think we should try to explain to another friend from Google Local Guide. I have experience with the spams of places. For the previous time, it is hard to get an approval from Google after we edit the spams (maybe it takes weeks and months). But, when someone told the others to edit the place, we got the approval in just several hours. Maybe the same things would be happen if we try to deleted some spams photos and reviews.

 

Greetings from Indonesia.

Level 9

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

@SoniaK I appreciate your cooperation. Thanks 

I ❤️ Bangladesh | Meet-Ups | Achievements | Instagram | My Website
Level 6

Re: Be a responsible Local Guide

I am  agree  with above explain. Regarding one replacement of location to another deficalt to ammendment cituation. So please 

Help someone how to correct thanks for reliable reply.