Data Accuracy: Improvements required in processes for authenticating edits and updating data

[Coppersmith]

In recent times,Google Maps seems to revel in presenting inaccurate data, not only rejecting valid edits but also changing correct data to incorrect data. Mapmaker, for which I have made several edits over the years, was far better than the present system. It had space for justifying the proposed edit. That has been done away with, which is taking Google Maps to a low trust level.

For instance, Salboni Retreat: https://goo.gl/maps/vXxEs21rir72

The marker is placed way off the actual location. I know, because the location shown was once owned by my family—I can even provide the plot number—and the owner of Salboni Retreat is a cousin. However, there is no scope for providing that justification in the present system. No one even asks!

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[Coppersmith]

Another problem seems to be the base data on which Google Maps' algorithms work.

For instance, it insists on providing an entirely unusable address for my home, based on the mouza in which my property is situated. Niribili, Jangal Khas, West Bengal.

A mouza is purely a land revenue unit which usually coincides with the borders of a village, BUT NOT ALWAYS. "Jangal Khas" is an appellation for forest lands that were once owned by the local Raja. They usually cover tens of square kilometres. There are as many as ten of them within Jhargram block alone, each identified by its JL (Jurisdiction List) Number. Thus Niribili is part of Mouza Jangal Khas 731, meaning it is part of erstwhile forest lands falling within Jurisdiction List No. 731. Thlis mouza extends for almost 10 km from the outskirts of Jhargram town to the village of Garro, passing through the vicinity of a number of local administration units, including Panchayats and villages post office zones. As a locator, it is quite useless.

Does Google Maps have any mechanism whereby it updates information from administrative sources?

[Coppersmith]

One update failure in particular sticks out like a sore thumb in Google Maps. A new district of Jhargram was carved out of West Medinipur district more than seven months ago. Google Maps does not know about it. If you search for Jhargram District, you are shown Jhargram town. Not Jhargram district. West Medinipur district still shows the old boundaries that include the present Jhargram district.

Does Google Maps have any mechanism for coordinating with Government authorities to get such updates?

[Coppersmith]

There is another issue that needs to be addressed. Google Maps has recently started providing names of various places on the maps in the local script. It is apparently using software to transliterate from English names with results that are mostly wrong and often as hilarious as English translations on Chinese signboards. I wanted to suggest edits for Bangla place names around me but I couldn't find any way to do so.

Any suggestions?

[LucioV]

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@Coppersmith wrote:

In recent times,Google Maps seems to revel in presenting inaccurate data, not only rejecting valid edits but also changing correct data to incorrect data. Mapmaker, for which I have made several edits over the years, was far better than the present system. It had space for justifying the proposed edit. That has been done away with, which is taking Google Maps to a low trust level.

For instance, Salboni Retreat: https://goo.gl/maps/vXxEs21rir72

The marker is placed way off the actual location. I know, because the location shown was once owned by my family—I can even provide the plot number—and the owner of Salboni Retreat is a cousin. However, there is no scope for providing that justification in the present system. No one even asks!

More...

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In this case I suggest you to claim (you or, better, your cousin) this place, to have full control on details.

I think that Google is pushing MyBusiness program also to correct these situations.

[Flash]

Hello,

Thank you for your concerns with ensuring information is accurate on the map.  Most of your questions have been asked multiple times in the past, please do ensure that you search the forums to see if your question is already answered before posting a new question.  Since you have so many questions I'll briefly touch on each, but you can find more information via a search.

The marker is placed way off the actual location. I know, because the location shown was once owned by my family—I can even provide the plot number—and the owner of Salboni Retreat is a cousin. However, there is no scope for providing that justification in the present system. No one even asks!

The scope is somewhat unnecessary.

As you edit the map, the more accurate edits you make the higher trust you earn.  What this means is that the system is able to assign a reliability score to an individual user's edits based on his past edits.

You are stating that the system should trust you for this edit because of your personal knowledge of it, but you are required to have personal knowledge of all your edits.  I know you wish to express to the system that you have very specific knowledge of this place; but of course someone wanting to create spam could lie and say they have similar specific knowledge for some bad data.  Such information is thus only useful if it can be trusted, and whether someone can be trusted is largely determined by the previously mentioned earned trust.

So if you are someone that has been making lots of accurate edits, the system has a mechanism in place for considering this in your next edit.  If you have little trust built up, then a statement that you have extra knowledge about a feature is not helpful as it's unknown if that can be trusted.  But if you do have significant trust built up, then a statement that you have extra knowledge about a feature in unnecessary as your edits already have a high trust level.

Does Google Maps have any mechanism whereby it updates information from administrative sources?

If you are asking if Google copies data, including updates, directly from such sources; no, they do not and cannot.  Copyright law prevents such copying of data.

Google does get their data from many sources.  One of their data suppliers might update such information, as an example Google does not normally get postal code data directly from the country's post office as copying it from their website would be a violation of copyright, but instead there are companies that either purchase that information from the post office for resale or accumulate it via other (legal) means.  Google deals with suppliers such as these, which can mean a bit of a delay for postal code updates to reach Google unless the post office themselves chooses to provide the information directly (see below).

Does Google Maps have any mechanism for coordinating with Government authorities to get such updates?

Yes, please see https://maps.google.com/help/maps/mapcontent/index.html.  It's important to note that this requires the government authority to opt into the program and to initiate any data transfer, as that is what then makes the copyrighted information OK to use as the opting in includes confirmation that they own the data and that they are releasing copyright to Google to use for commercial purposes.

There is another issue that needs to be addressed. Google Maps has recently started providing names of various places on the maps in the local script. It is apparently using software to transliterate from English names with results that are mostly wrong and often as hilarious as English translations on Chinese signboards. I wanted to suggest edits for Bangla place names around me but I couldn't find any way to do so.

Any suggestions?

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Please see https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Mapping-Your-World/How-did-we-change-Area-Location-Name-in-Goo...