wow @Alac, it seems you have a lot of experienc about Connect and Maps, and this is quite strange, being you a new member, that in despite of your experience, after 12 days still al L1.
You are contributing a lot in the forum, writing 98 times, starting more than 5 interesting topic, but not contributing in Google Maps.
Because I saw many LG with level 8 and 9 with spam in their contributions. It is easy possible to get level 5 within 48 hours with stolen photos, rating places you never been, and pasting comments. I do not need points and badges.
If you contribute, the badges comes and if you know you don't need points as well it is fine. But it is inevitable for you not to get badges and points while you contribute. So could you tell me how being a local guide will be like to you without contributing to the Google Maps? Remember this platform as well is for Local Guides, so if you say you don't need points and badges as reasons you gave above, then can you expantiate further as we would also love to know @Alac ?
I noticed this was going on as well within the Nairobi contributions both before and after the level upgrades. Certain areas had photos that had no relation to any of the locations. We pointed out within the Nairobi community on quality over quantity and most (in the G+ page) agree as well. Managed to contact one of them whom we are in common circles and he reacted positively to the feedback.
Thinking out loud, what if in the future we introduce the following: 1) Other than points, rewards for verified quality photos by LGs like the Street View Photographer badge
2). Preset messages in to share with users in Google Maps e.g.
Notify user has been sharing spam image in X location.
Notify user has been sharing duplicate images in X location.
Notify user the image shared is copyrighted and request a takedown.
I totally agree with @PaulPavlinovich That people take it as advantage and spoil the service . I have reported many pictures wrong .I know how it feels . Earning points Everyone needs to earn by hardwork .
That was amazing by the way what you told tracic.Let us all focus as local guides to keep the crap out of the maps and I'd try my level best to post quality material to maps.I recommend everyone to do so.
The flip side of that coin is that embedded data such as EXIF helps validate the "trustworthiness" of reviews. While the the LG posting crummy pics may be uploading to get the extra points if the EXIF shows that the person was actually there then I would rate the review as more valuable versus the post that has no validating information from either EXIF or Goggle Location History. A creative writer could rake in some serious points and never leave the house versus a person who (albeit not as a talented a writer) could visit multiple places and not write well thought-out reviews.
Another Google feature that can/has caused a deluge of photos to be posted is the option to post reviews based off of what photos are in your Google Photos account. I have pictures going back as far as 2005 that were in my infancy of learning photography. Are they great? Not really. But did I actually visit the location and have an informed opinion? Sure, kinda. Overall, I think Google is trying to absorb as much data as possible into it's mapping app. There will be some Q&A issues along the way, but acquisition is the name of the game at this point.
2022
