Local Guides Clean The Map (#LGCTM)

Google Maps tips & tricks
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A visualization of places getting removed from the map by a Local Guide (concept: JeroenM)
A visualization of places getting removed from the map by a Local Guide (concept: JeroenM)3840×2160 1.18 MB
One of the things I like the most about map editing is adding places. Every time the notification pops up to confirm that the suggested edit has been approved, I find it very satisfactory to realize that this newly added place is now searchable for others thanks to my contribution. And from the conversations I have had with fellow local guides, I know that this also applies to a lot of other local guides.

Screen capture of the selection menu for removing a place from Maps
Screen capture of the selection menu for removing a place from Maps1598×789 197 KB
A more challenging task, however, is removing things that should no longer be shown on Google Maps. When a new business opens it typically gets mapped quite quickly – either by the business owner, by an agency representing the business owner or by a local guide. But when a shop closes, the business owner (let alone the agency) is usually not going to bother removing the entry from the map – so that leaves only the local guides to mark the business a closed and thereby make sure other users of Maps no longer see it/use it as destination.

And that is exactly what this new project “Local Guides Clean The Map” (LGCTM)* is all about: getting rid of what no longer belongs on the map. Shops that have closed, chains that have gone bankrupt, old/invalid/incomplete entries that have somehow made it to Maps years ago: to the bin with them!

Special attention should also be given to duplicates. Some places are two times on the map (in some rare cases even more than 2 times), and those should also be reported to the Google team, allowing them to merge the two entries into a single one. If you haven’t come across any duplicates so far, you simply haven’t looked close enough… as those duplicates mostly only show up when you’re at the highest zoom level.

Another type of Maps entries that need to be removed, is of course spam. There’s plenty of that around (in some areas much more than in others)! There are already a number of highly motivated local guides very active in that domain, but they can obviously use all the help they can get, as the spammers have no plans of retiring any time soon.

In the coming weeks and months, I will further develop the Local Guides Clean The Map project by

  • publishing a number of posts to elaborate on specific aspects
  • hosting a number of themed Meetups
  • recording a dedicated episode of the LetsGuide Podcast (no surprise there)

and I will make sure to then include links to those in this post – so you might want to bookmark this post already.

RELATED CONTENT

Here is an overview of the #LGCTM Tips & Tricks posts

For a more in depth look into specific cases, there are Case Studies

There are also #LGCTM posts that focus on Things you can do

And here is the list of #LGCTM Meet-ups (updated whenever new ones are added; if yours is not in the list, just reach out to me and I will gladly add it)

During Community Live 2020, an unofficial event organized by the Connect Moderators, there also was an LGCTM session. Here’s an overview of the posts relating to that:

Finally, there are also ideas related to #LGCTM showing up in Idea Exchange, so let’s also include links to those:

You can also listen to a dedicated #LGCTM episode of the LetsGuide Podcast in your preferred streaming app (Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and many more) or on the podcast website.

Do you want to join in? Just let me know in the comments. Any kind of participation – small or not so small – is highly appreciated.

* The project name is of course a reference, and most certainly also a tribute to the marvelous project Local Guides Clean The World (LGCTW) set up by @ermest

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Thanks for post @JanVanHaver . i quite often report things like places that have closed or have moved location, and frequently photos that have nothing to do with where it been posted. I do when I notice it but don’t dedicate time to it as I haven’t got the time to dedicate to it.

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Great idea @JanVanHaver . Thank you so much for sharing with us and for making Google Maps better!

I am sure that Local Guides will join your challenge, and I would like to wish you good luck during the Local Guides Clean The Map project.

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From time to time I help cleaning Google maps. #LGTCM

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Great @JanVanHaver !

It’s much needed, I try when I spot a duplicateor missing link to do something about it but I find it sometimes it takes to long to be approved or changed. I have reported things that are not yet been changed after + 8 months.

Reporting wrong pictures is also difficult to report in my opinion and if I had to change something I would give an LG with high level more options to be able to do, like adding a website without approval.

Have a nice weekend!

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Tôi rất quan tâm đến vấn đề chống spam, có những địa điểm giả được tạo ra nhằm quảng cáo dịch vụ và sản phẩm, khi kiểm tra thực tế rõ ràng là không có thật, thế nhưng kẻ spam lại cố tình đăng trang web, số điện thoại, dùng nhiều tài khoản viết bài đánh giá, xếp hạng và xác minh doanh nghiệp. Điều này các hướng dẫn địa phương đề xuất xóa bỏ là không được google chấp nhận, chỉ có cách là báo cáo, tuy nhiên vẫn không được xử lý vì thế những kẻ spam không sợ, và nạn này ngày càng gia tăng, làm rối loạn bản đồ. Mong muốn của tôi là mong ai đó là nhân viên của google biết rõ sự việc này và có hướng xử lý triệt để. Cảm ơn @JanVanHaver đã chia sẻ thông tin này

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Thanks for the support @TheEagleEye @Ivi_Ge @CMiles1979

@KristofVaneeck in my experience the edits are gettting approved quicker once you have made more approved edits of that particular type. To name your example: I get websites approved quite easy now (often within seconds, so: by the algorithm, without human intervention), but this was not always the case. As is so often the case with LG-related things: be persistent & patient : - )

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Thank you for this great campaign/ project initiative @JanVanHaver .

When we participate and dedicate CTM time to focus on Cleaning The Map, should we try to keep track of our achievements and report to you?
I assume that you like also to hear anecdotes or issues we come across when working on #LGCTM and share those here on Connect by using the #LGCTM tag?

#PleaseGuide

JeroenM

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Hi @JanVanHaver great idea, I try to do my best in these activities but maybe it’s better a project like this one to be more effective! Please consider me as an help in this project if some activities need more than 2 hands! We are also in touch on Telegram!

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That is a very good idea. I want to join the project.

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@JanVanHaver Whenever I work with a map, I try to correct the mistakes. But sadly when submitting a location correction, Maximum Time does not exclude Google Maps. I think those who look after these things in Google Maps should be better monitored.

Omar

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@JanVanHaver fantastic idea! I see stuff all the time that needs to be cleaned up but I had gotten so frustrated with nothing getting approved, I quit… But since I’ve met you and joined the mapping FB groups, I’m ready to tackle these again! Maybe you should have a cleaning map spreadsheet that we all can add to and track our progress? Count me in as of today!

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Awesome, @JanVanHaver , count me in. A Clean The Map Meetup will be very funny. I will definitely host one or more in Brazil.

Cheers,

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It’s great idea @JanVanHaver ! In my country Ukraine we have a lot of duplicates on Google Maps, so I always report about it to Google team. Count me in, I am ready to join this project!

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@JanVanHaver , I tend to report things to be removed as I notice them, but am willing to participate in a dedicated effort.

What do you feel about home businesses on the map? OK if they have a sign outside, but otherwise remove? Or…?

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Hi @JanVanHaver ,

It is a shame that Google does not list our Approved removals in our Your Contributions “Edits” tab. I just successfully removed three mailboxes on my island that are in fact not mappable. The people that added these letterboxes used the category Mailbox Supplier. Since the people that added these letterboxes also added photos, when they created the list, I was able to identify the LG that added the place and conclude this person to be a spammer/ bad LG. So, of course, I also reported the LG in question.

I used the search phrase “letterbox near me” to find the places to be removed.

May I suggest that we create a Google Doc where we list easy things to look for, as per my example? Basically a list of things that many people map inappropriately, such as train stations that belong on the Transit layer, etc.?

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Another #LGCTM Tip that I like to share is to go through your My Contributions “Edit” tab and look for failed Duplicate Places. Since merging duplicate POI has been so much improved in the last year, I just successfully merged several places where I previously failed, because I could now point at the other listing. Of course, I was lucky that those duplicates were (months later) still there :wink:

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This is a worthy initiative and one I am happy to help with, @JanVanHaver .

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In Spanish

Genial idea! Es increíble ver lo que otros hacen por obtener puntos o hacer spam .

@JanVanHaver puedes contar conmigo desde Uruguay.

Luana Lima.

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I agree @levanhien that Google could do much more to act against the (semi-)organized spamming that s going on in some places. There have been times/places where they intervened (e.g. when it gets so bad tat the mainstream media start picking it up), but in my view often the response to reported cleqr violations of their own guidelines is either very late or totally absent.

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