Comments on Should you fix errors and contribute to Google Maps for free?

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Eric Works

I understand that you're conflicted on this. Google Maps is how I get around in the world. My world has a lot more ads in it now than it did only a few years ago.

zakius

I'm tired of food delivery services recognizing my address as non existent due to google mistake, so correcting that one is less troublesome for me than not doing so. though I already submitted the change few years ago and am still waiting for the fix...

Dinell T

My mom is an avid contributor to Google Maps. It's frustrating to go for walks with her as she stops everywhere to double-check that the map is up-to-date. I've never thought of it as unpaid work before! She gets some type of Google points for it, but I don't think they're worth anything.

dusoft

Hello, good questions to ponder.

For the OSM, try using StreetComplete for mobile. It gamifies the editing and is easy to use.

Alexey Shpakovsy

+1 to the mentioned StreetComplete. Also there are other on-the-phone editors, for all the various tastes. My favorite was the one built into Maps.me, which allowed you to add new items (points) and edit opening hours for existing ones (although not move/relocate them, what is the subject of this blog post).

Note that Maps.me changed owner and everything, so I don't recommend them anymore, but Organic Maps is the successor of all the good what was in it, and I assume that editor is also there (but my phone ran out of battery so I can't confirm it).

Pietervdvn

I'm trying to fix your exact usability problem with https://mapcomplete.osm.be/ , which aims to be this quicly to use tool.

Hii

I've been long annoyed with google maps.

In 2007 or so - do you recall it was their 'mission' to demonstrate 'fake' small business by revealing some were home based? (Is that not just stupid and ironic as of 2021 with everyone working at home?)

So I end up with a photo of my apartment next to my biz name - without my consent. Purposeful slander by my large competitor (in SEO design at the time).

Plus, they set this expectation that stuff should get done for free. Constantly hounded that I was greedy - should do this and that for free. In summer of 2017, huge campaign to get sm. biz on websites that were 'free' with a lot of 'free' seminars by google.

Meanwhile, I could not sell anything that summer and finally gave up and went out of business.

Oh, not to mention - they signed me up as an ad partner - gave me credits for clients. Then they had the nerve to call up those clients and attempt to steel them.

Now I live in a conversion apartment with giant windows. I do not want anything to do with google maps - do not want every changing photos of my home online with these giant windows.

First request to block, completely ignored - instead just bounces next door without any window smear happening. Now I am finally blurred.

And yes - I resent all this extra work. Over the years, dealing this crap has cost me lots of money too. Like for the fake business type address I had to buy to get them to remove images of my home - which they arrogantly felt was their 'right.' So that was literally thousands out of pocket for no real reason except google invasion of my rights.

I pretty much loath Google - and add all the censorship now - and they are pretty gross and useless.

I stopped using their search engine long ago - wish others would finally dump them.