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Level 6

Why can't WE approve and/or deny other people's maps edits anymore???

With the closing of Map Maker, our ability to approve/deny edits, made to Google Maps, went out the window... I know that it says that, now, that process is made by an algorithm AND local guides.. However, I don't know about you, I haven't seen any link granting us - Local Guides - access to that part of Google Maps where we can, indeed, approve or deny edits made to it... I can only see my own contributions! So if anyone knows the link to see, approve/deny, other people's edits, please share it here because I've been searching for it and can't find it at all!

 

I personally think that putting in place an algorithm in place that decides which edits should and shouldn't be approve, was a big mistake and is, so far, a bust! Not only that, removing our access to make those approvals was stupid on Google's part! And to be quite frank, I'm getting fed up of not being able to approve/deny other people's edits! I rather enjoyed that part of Local Guides I contributed to! Google Maps is my main focus and now I can't even do that anymore! It's pretty frustrating!

 

So, to reiterate, if anyone knows where we, Local Guides, can approve/deny other people's Google Maps edits... Please share the link to it here!

9 comments
Level 6

Re: Frustrated that we can't edit maps like we used to

I can't even review other people's edits coz they don't appear anywhere on my Google Maps... I can only see my own contributions!

 

Does anyone know where I can go to edit other people's edits? Where's the link for that? 

 

I'm beyond frustrated with this new system, where Google Map Maker has been removed and replaced by an algorithm and a "supposed" access, for the Local Guides, to other people's edits... I still haven't seen where I can access them! 

Connect Moderator

Re: Why can't WE approve and/or deny other people's maps edits anymore???

Hello @MylieB

 

You can contribute towards helping the algorithms make a decision by using Check The Facts.

 

Algorithms reviewing your edits are not new; that occurred throughout Map Maker's life also.  Did you not have some (or most) of your edits go through automatically?  That was done via algorithm.  If the algorithms couldn't make a decision then edits were then presented to the reviewers; just as is being done now.

 

In Map Maker your review of places that could not be decided by algorithm just then helped the designated reviewers and/or helped the mapper to improve the edit and make better future edits.  It was just Google employees and designated RERs/RLs that could deny or approve edits.  Due to the many people that abused that system, it's unlikely we'll see it made public again.  But the good news is that the average users contributions in Maps actually does get considered by the algorithms, which reanalyze the edit to decide if they now have enough information or require more.  So for the average user they can directly help review other people's edits whereas they could not in Map Maker.

Flash - LG Connect Moderator, Maps Platinum Product Expert, Map Maker Platinum Product Expert, RER and Regional Lead

Due to the volume I receive, I do not respond to unsolicited private messages

Connect Moderator

Re: Frustrated that we can't edit maps like we used to

Hello @MylieB,

 

As you asked the exact same question in a separate thread, I'll move your post here into the thread you created.  Please keep conversations in one thread.

Flash - LG Connect Moderator, Maps Platinum Product Expert, Map Maker Platinum Product Expert, RER and Regional Lead

Due to the volume I receive, I do not respond to unsolicited private messages

Level 6

Re: Why can't WE approve and/or deny other people's maps edits anymore???

Oh please! Don't give me that crap about "Check The Facts"!... You know as well as I do that we can't approve/deny other people's edits with that! It's a fact checker work! Nothing more!... And you guys, at Google, are supposed to be "la crème de la crème", in terms of brilliant minds... and, yet, your solution is to remove our access to the edits's approval process coz a few people have abused the system!?... So, you punish ALL those who follow the rules just coz a bunch of morons abused it!?... Nice! Really nice way of doing things!... Can't you see that that approach angers the Local Guides!?... 

 

That Algorithm isn't working properly! And even those so called "local operators" don't do their job properly!... I've been trying to change the name of a company and it constantly gets denied... And your "local operators" haven't even done the appropriate research to see if my information was correct or not!... If they had done their research, they would've seen that there's news article about it all over the place (they could've used Google Search and seen the information right there and then! The company in question has change their legal name at the end of May! And I was in the know coz I know someone who works there and told me of the name change, which I promptly made the edit in Google Maps and it was denied!)... 

 

This is just ONE example on how frustrating your new way of doing things is frustrating for Local Guides!... 

 

Not all the approvals, in Map Maker, were made by your d@mn algorithm! I've approved/denied many of them!... And each time, I made sure I researched the edit to ensure the information was correct!...

 

Now, you can sit on your @SS to debate this whole issue, or you can actually start doing something productive by talking to your boss(es) about the changes that WE, local guides, want to see happening! We want access to the approval of other people's edits, like we used to have in Map Maker!

 

Make yourself useful, please, and talk to them!... I'm already fed up of this ridiculous back and forth with you!... If you can't make changes, then let us talk with your bosses! We want change!... Talking no end doesn't resolve anything!... You cannot bring a satisfactory solution, then it's better we talk with someone who has the power to make those changes! No offense to you! I understand your position... Just understand ours! We're FED UP!!!... 

Level 6

Re: Frustrated that we can't edit maps like we used to

No! I don't approve of this tread being moved somewhere else!

 

I asked the question in a reply to another question! Doesn't mean I want this one to be moved! Hell no!

Connect Moderator

Re: Why can't WE approve and/or deny other people's maps edits anymore???

Hello @MylieB,

 

To start, if you wish to use the forums you need to be respectful and polite.  

 

To be clear, I am a volunteer Local Guide, not a Google employee.

 

Again, the algorithms are not working any different than before.  They are improved in their analysis, but the process remains the same as always; the edit is initially analyzed by algorithm, if it can't make a decision it asks for human input, and upon human input it re-analyzes.  This happened before, and continues to happen.  Yes, before you could indicate "approved" or "denied" on each edit; but that didn't actually get considered for re-analysis.

 

Changing the name on a POI is almost always the wrong thing to do.  Denying such an edit is thus going to be the best option.  Perhaps you have one of the rare cases where it should be done, can you give more details such as a link to the place, the new name, and the reason for the change?  With enough information I might be able to get the edit made.

 

 

Flash - LG Connect Moderator, Maps Platinum Product Expert, Map Maker Platinum Product Expert, RER and Regional Lead

Due to the volume I receive, I do not respond to unsolicited private messages

Level 6

Re: Why can't WE approve and/or deny other people's maps edits anymore???

First of all, I haven't been disrespectful nor impolite!... I am disgruntled! That's different! And me expressing myself is a universal right that I have! I never insulted you, nor have I been disrespecting you! Please don't confuse someone's disgruntlement for disrespect/impoliteness! 

 

Second, if you're not a Google employee... Why are you so keen on defending Google's way of treating us!!!??... Why are you so keen, like some other moderator(s), in shutting us up???... May it be by referencing stupid articles where it says "Don't take it personally", and/or by making our question/thread disappear by fusing it with another one!?... Mind you calling an article "stupid" is not me being disrespectful nor me being impolite... It's me calling a spade a spade! I call it like it is!... I understand that you have to work with the kb Google provides you with... however, it's still up to you to decide to reference those or not!... Who's side are you on, anyway!?... 

 

Third, like I said, this whole new way of doing things and not allowing us to approve edits is really frustrating!... I thank you for wanting to help with the edit I spoke about... However, I do not want you to approve it!... I want Local Guides to be able to approve it themselves! That's the whole point of my question/thread!... If you're not a Google employee, then maybe you could help by letting us know whom we can DIRECTLY talk to to make the necessary changes to have access to the edits's approval process... THAT would help!... If you can't help with that, then I guess I'll just have to call the Google offices myself... 

Connect Moderator

Re: Why can't WE approve and/or deny other people's maps edits anymore???

Please do not confuse your opinion to be absolutely everyone's opinion.  You are most certainly welcome to your opinion, but that does not mean it's all Local Guides opinions.  And there is not just two opinions here, there is more than just your opinion and Google's opinion.

 

Wanting to be able to approve things without them being looked over is exactly how bad information gets on the map.  There were not just "a few people" doing so, but rather hundreds.

 

When you post in multiple threads despite rules that say not to do so, that makes me feel that you will do whatever you feel best despite rules or that you don't bother learning the rules, I'm not sure which at that point.  When you demand that I not fix your mistake because you feel the rule shouldn't apply to you, that serves to let me know its a case of the former.  And when told that the edit you want to do on the map is almost always the wrong edit but that I can help you if it was right, your reply that in that case you don't want that one issue fixed but rather want the ability to push the edit through without it being checked providers even more confirmation.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not picking on you in particular; users express things the same way as you quite often.   While I do wish I still had the ability to approve and deny edits and make my own edits without much review; the number of users expressing through words or actions that they should be able to do whatever they want is why I understand that Google can't let us do that anymore.

 

You are still welcome to feel different.  To get your opinions to Google on what you would like to see you should use the Send Feedback function within Maps; that goes directly to the people that accumulate and analyze the data.

Flash - LG Connect Moderator, Maps Platinum Product Expert, Map Maker Platinum Product Expert, RER and Regional Lead

Due to the volume I receive, I do not respond to unsolicited private messages

Level 7

Re: Why can't WE approve and/or deny other people's maps edits anymore???

adding pedestrian paths can take months, that is the problem i have

 

i can't draw a pedestrian path and send it to google

 

i don't think that will ever get added in