Google Maps has obtained a number of large updates this month, including Immersive View to routes, bringing new AI options, and lately a visible overhaul that brings a brand new shade palette to the app. Whereas Maps is normally a dependable solution to test details about locations like eating places, film theaters, ATMs, and different companies, it is not resistant to pretend critiques and deceptive content material. In an effort to make Maps extra strong, Google has now shared three new methods it prevents policy-violating content material from being posted.
In a weblog publish shared Wednesday, Google defined that it displays uncommon patterns in user-contributed content material, resembling a rise in one-star critiques for a enterprise, and takes applicable measures to forestall abuse. “This may embrace something from eradicating policy-violating content material to briefly disabling new submissions,” the weblog mentioned. The corporate additionally appears at critiques that violate insurance policies and investigates accounts which have left mentioned critiques.
Second, Google can be working to guard locations and institutions forward of delicate moments, for instance an election, the place the corporate expects a rise in unrelated and inappropriate content material on Maps. Google says it limits contributors’ capability to make edits to telephone numbers, addresses and different data to restrict deceptive content material
As well as, the search engine large has launched long-term protections in opposition to inappropriate and dangerous person contributions. This would come with, for instance, damaging critiques of locations resembling police stations and prisons. “A set of frameworks helps us consider how helpful person enter could be for a majority of these websites, and based mostly on the outcomes, we are able to apply restrictions starting from limiting contributions to blocking a sure kind of content material to blocking contributed content material fully,” Google mentioned .
In instances the place person contributions have been restricted, contributors might obtain a banner notifying them that the performance has been disabled. Nonetheless, regardless of limitations, customers can discover helpful data resembling telephone quantity, tackle and web site of locations.
Final month, Google launched the Immersive View for Routes function as a part of a brand new Maps replace, which lets customers see their route step-by-step whereas driving, strolling or biking. The function is on the market in choose cities resembling Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo and Venice on each Android and iOS. Moreover, Google additionally added an AI-powered Lens in Maps function to assist customers perceive their environment in actual time.
Lately, Google additionally rolled out a model new shade palette for Google Maps that overhauls all visible facets of the app. Roads and streets have been modified from off-white to gray, and the inexperienced and blue colours for parks or water our bodies have additionally modified noticeably. Motorways are additionally now not yellow and have a darker grey shade scheme.