Why are contributions rejected instantly without any email confirmation?

[BoydK]

I am a level 7 guide with 1.7 million photo vues and contributed to Maps since the original apps  way before local guides existed.   Recently I have made 26 contributions of new locations including photos.  23 were rejected.  These are not <pending>.  There is no email confirmation.  They are simply  listed as "NOT APPLIED - Place creation" in the Maps app under Edits.  What is this about?  Its all well to give local guides badges and points to encourage them, but what a letdown to see the time spent trying to improve the map of your locality and see that most everything is instantly rejected without any feedback. 

Screenshot below:

Whats up

[Shirley]

Hi @BoydK:

I can understand the frustration as it often happens to me as well and all Local Guides. Sometimes, it is difficult to verify a contribution.

 Don't give up, sometimes if you can add a photo when you make the contribution, it will assist in the verification process as well.

Google utilizes a complex process and algorithm to evaluate each addition. You can read more about it in this thread.

[BoydK]

Hi Shirley,

Thank you very much for responding to my comments, and I do appreciate your encouragement.  However I would like to point out some serious issues here.  

1)  I have read the thread below.  It provides absolutely nothing of substance.  In fact it also mentions that you can find more about Google's guidelines.  This link also has nothing of interest related to the issue of NEW contributions systematically REJECTED by the mystery algorithms.  I have read 3 or 4 other threads that basically have no concrete answer to this problem other than, "Google's algorithms are complex, so be patient."

2) In my case this is not one isolated business in Western Europe or San Francisco.  It is EVERY new contribution in Ivory Coast/Côte d'Ivoire, a country that DESPERATELY needs mapped.  There is something WRONG with Google's algorhithms.  This was not happening a couple of years ago as I have already entered some of the very first businesses in some of these localities.  In the various threads on this issue, simply patting local guides on the back and saying in effect have confidence in the mystery algos are contibuting to the problem rather than the solution.

3)  Google knows that the success of the Local Guides program is dependant on the rewards and satisfactions of participating in this community.  Badges and points are useless when hours of work under the hot sun and paying expensive internet connections are rewarded by NOT APPLIED.  These businesses are restaurants, gas stations, medical clinics, schools that have ABSOLUTELY NO REASON to be rejected.

4) Please note that I was the creator of the original G+ Côte d'Ivoire Local Guides community.  Your comment below about checking out the Vancouver G+ group makes me wonder if the revised G+ mystery Algo will no longer accept my contributions in West Africa where I reside.  Although I have 1.7 million vues of my photos and find the local guides program interesting and enjoyable, at this point I can think of a lot of other things that are more 'rewarding' to spend my time on.  I am attaching a few more screenshots of rejected contributions.   Hopefully someone from Google can A) Track down these particular posts and get them entered properly,  and B) more importantly fix whats wrong with this NOT APPLIED, problem. (Yes it IS a problem)

cc:  @Venance

[Venance]

Bonjour Boyd kelly , heureux de te lire et saches que ta requête sera traitée avec diligence.

#team225 😉

[FikirA]

@BoydK @Shirley

This has been a big draw back on Maps for me too. Usually when such kind of things happen it ends up to the point missing an important place potentially missing on Maps which is a pity. 

I wish there is some option to recliam the edit or add so that it is not missing forever.

Cheers

[BoydK]

Exactly... For me this was a trip to a very remote area of Ivory Coast 7km from Mali and passing near Guinée.  Some of the pics are of 700 year old sites. (Same as Timbuktu) Others are simply schools and post office and places that should be on the map.  Because of this problem it may be a long time before someone can or will re-enter this information.   It's not about lost 'points', it's about wasted time energy and money, frustration, and no improvement to the map.  A pity indeed!

@Venance

[FikirA]

@BoydK

Sure yeah. 

Not about the points but the information missed

[Shirley]

Hi @FikirA and @BoydK:

Thank you both for your feedback, concerns and comments. I apologize if you felt the thread that I directed you to was not that helpful. I cannot imagine the frustration you may have when something simple should be on Maps and I'm unsure if there is an easy/simple solution to solve this. Since you mentioned that this is a more remote area, it does increase the complexity and difficulty in the verification process. While it is difficult to fully understand the algorithms and processes that are in place, some of it does depend on the totality of contributions that have been made for that particular point of interest. Part of the algorithm depends on machine learning, which may suggest that the more people contributing with the same information, the more information Maps can perhaps utilize to verify if it is the correct information. I have noticed that when we do an edit walk with a few others, it seems like there is a higher chance of something being approved. This is, however, based on my personal experience and my understanding of machine learning. 

The other suggestion I had was to provide photos of the places with the name, hours of operation, and any other information that you can provide when you are adding the place on Maps. 

What I also encourage you to do is to submit feedback directly through the Google Maps app on your mobile device. Go to Menu (3 horizontal bars) > Send Feedback > Your opinions about Maps. 

If there is something unique about this particular area that you feel should be taken into account with regards to your additions/corrections, I would write a thorough comment and submit it directly to Google for feedback.  A record of all of your feedback can be found here. 

There is no perfect solution and I have had issues too, though probably not to the extend that either of you have experienced as I am not in the same kind of geographical region as you guys. Thank you to both of you for trying to make maps better. Your feedback is appreciated.