Spam on Google Maps: renaming places

[NatalkaR]

Today there was horrible situation in Kyiv, Ukraine. Spammers renamed Ukrainian government (the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine) on Google Maps. This morning we saw "Кабінет монстрів" (the Cabinet of Monsters of Ukraine) instead "Кабінет міністрів" (the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine). Ukrainian local Guides (and me, as well) returned normal name. How we can fight with this spam? Two months ago was the same situation in one of the biggest Ukrainian cities - all places in the center of city were renamed in "toilet". I want to emphasize - it's very serius problem. First of all, we speak about reputation of Google Maps. Maybe it's time to think about rights of LGs, about verification of LGs? I don't know. But we should do something! @GeorgesHR

Two realities:

the Cabinet of Monsters of Ukrainethe Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine 

[ErmesT]

I am so sad for what you are reporting, @NatalkaR

If you have a list of the places that was "dirtied" in that way, please give it to @GeorgesHR, when Google will contact you, for checking the history of the edits and find the LGs that suggested it

[NatalkaR]

@ErmesT thanks!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll write @GeorgesHR

[LucioV]

Hi @NatalkaR I know that some sensitive places could be "locked" (think about the Trump Tower the day of elections... or the recent lock down of Arabian embassy after the murder of Khassoggi). Googlers can momentary lock places like this to avoid this kind of spam.

[NatalkaR]

@LucioV  it's really good that Googlers can "locked" some places. But I'm not sure that it's decision of problems.  

[StephenAbraham]

@NatalkaR This is a problem in almost all places.

I wrote an idea about having a report hijack feature in Maps to help with the reporting of these cases

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/All-Ideas/Report-Hijack-feature-in-Maps/idi-p/1122215

[NatalkaR]

@StephenAbraham your idea is very interesting! but in my case we speak about official governement institutions. it's different. no one wants to hijack an existing location. we speak about political spam on Google maps. and I want to know how we can't stop it

[Stuart_C]

Hi @NatalkaR

I agree this is a huge problem. However, this spamming and hijacking is going on with business as well as with government organisations – I see that as being equally important (and damaging to the reputation of Google Maps). 

I've been battling with such a case for the past two weeks here in Prague. I feel we need more tools and we need faster action from Google when these instances occur. It's demotivating and very very frustrating for Local Guides. 

[RomanPavlovsky]

I propose to allocate "main" expert in each city and to control the correction, or delegate to other experts the authority for the final adoption of the correction. So it would be obvious who missed the "spam", because, as we see, automation passes everything and almost does not filter anything.

[GeorgesHR]

Hello @NatalkaR,

Thanks for bringing this up.

We will investigate this internally and take any necessary action.

@RomanPavlovsky, @Stuart_C, I understand the need for such a tool and you are free to suggest your ideas in the Idea Exchange. You can explain what you would like to see and give as much details as possible so we can better understand the idea.