Business owner wants photos removed from Google Maps

[KahaleI]

I got an interesting text today from a business on Google Maps: Art of Eyebrow Threading (https://goo.gl/maps/kfHJQ333MJk)

"Hi this is the business owner of Art of Eyebrow Threading. I noticed you took pictures of my business and would like them to be taken down. They aren't very professional and I have gone through hell with Google trying to delete those off our account. If you could be so kind to do me the favor and remove those pictures, I would appreciate it."

I have no problem taking the photos down and losing a point. I reported the images are irrelevant, even though they are. I don't know how else to have them removed.

I replied to the business owner with:
"I noticed that your photos are of your products and services. My pictures are purposefully of your store front and hours which are not included in your photos. It helps others to find your business and to verify that the store hours are correct. I would recommend that you post a better picture of the storefront and the hours on your door.
The first thing people are going to look for is the big Art of Eyebrow Threading sign. If they see a picture of it on the internet before hand, it is easier to find when looking for it for the first time.
Also, I can't automatically take down photos I posted, it takes a while for Google to get things done. Just letting you know."

[TraciC · Accepted solution]

Hi @KahaleI. In your post, you wrote, "I have no problem taking the photos down and losing a point. I reported the images are irrelevant, even though they are. I don't know how else to have them removed." Does this mean you're not sure how to remove photos you've added to a listing? If so, this article tells you how to delete the photo on desktop or in app. 

That being said, Google encourages business owners to claim and manage their listing on Google Maps (for free), including updating their page with photos. Removing photos is ultimately your decision but if your photos show a side of the business that isn't otherwise shown, to help other people, I don't see the harm in it. But that's my opinion of course. 🙂 

[KahaleI]

Thanks @TraciC. I figured out how to remove the photos. They were picutres of the store front and sign looking from the parking lot, and of the store hours on the front door. These are the standard pictures that I believe are essential to have for every business on Google Maps. If the owner does not post her own pictures of the store front and hours, I may go back and take better pictures. 

[JeffMuir]

From my experience, it is very rare for a business to contact the Local Guide over a photo. Perhaps they cannot easily figure out how to do this. It is understandable that some businesses do not want to reveal photos of their businesses simply because they do not look pretty. In some cases, people must decide against the business due to the photos. It seems dishonest not to reveal but this is how business is run sometimes. Some of the pictures I have taken in industrial areas look more like junk yards than businesses. I debate about whether or not these pictures should be taken. Usually I include the pictures but I have since decided not to bother with industrial areas. It is not common for people to go there as consumers and the business owners seem to be content with their mess. It is common for people in industrial areas to be suspicious of photography. One person suspected that I was trying to use the pictures to later use for theft. Just one of many interesting reactions people have.

I have not determined the policies of businesses claiming their map entry but it appears they have the right to delete photos or even block them from being submitted. If they really cared, they will need to do that. Otherwise someone else could do the same thing again.

[DavidM]

Don't sacrifice the integrity of a photo for business action.  If they want to appear better in a photo then they should submit a marketable image alongside what you have perceived.

[SocialBuzzMe]

Hi,

Next time...maybe instead of removing them you can just blur out the "offending' items. Thats what Google Street View does.

Best of success,

Wayne C

[TomBrenner]

Hi

You remove anything you posted,it's not  Google who removes the photo.I delete from business pics I posted and from my list of pics all the time and have never requested Google delete something I dislike.What. kind of a pic was it.I have never been asked to take down a pic.I hope your pic wasn't displayed in a disparaging way.If anything the owners reply in kind to me for the comments.Whats the location of this pic,will you share it here.There is a delete button and you control that button. 

Sincerely 

Rusty.  

[Robert-PHX]

I think that you should leave it up. The point of reviewing places is to give actual honest feedback including pictures. The business can post their own pics beside your and let the customer choose if they wish to stop or not. I don't think that in reviewing a place anyone should try and rip apart a business or post photos of a malicious nature.

[ArunMuralidhar]

i believe, you shouldn't remove your photos unless it some privacy issue etc. what you are presenting is the real view of the business and that is more useful for others than the professional tuned images that business owners put , which gives an entirely different perception of the place. 

eg: i have an experience where the images posted by a hotel owner were too good, but, in reality, the place was not that great. contributions from real people would have helped me have a better judgement of the place.

I am not saying business owners shouldn't have great professional shots, but to ask remove photos directly isnt something we should agree too. they have options to flag a pic if its objectionable. Moreover, you can always tell the owner to claim the business and then they have full control over the photos posted etc. 

[TonyMoore]

I presume you took the photo from a public place so unless the laws are different in your country you haven't broken any laws taking the photograph.  Your photo is an accurate (assuming you didn't edit it or wait till there was rubbish outside, etc) representation of the business - the owner wouldn't come out and tell people walking past not to look at his business in case they got the wrong impression.

I say leave it up and if he wants to be in control of it he needs to claim his business.  

Perhaps go and talk to him about doing this.  I did this with the primary school my youngest daughter goes to - it just had a streetview photo on Maps so I took a photo of my daughter in front of the sign and arranged a meeting with the headmaster and talked to him about the need to claim because of what could happen - I showed him the listing, did Add Photo, added the photo of my daughter, and then got one of the PAs to search for the school, and lo and behold the picture was showing in search!  That rather spurred them into action and they claimed the listing that very day, and added their own stock of photos.  I went back a few days later when they got the postcard to show them the other features such as reviews and changing information when necessary.