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Ask HN: Anyone else notice how useless Google Maps reviews have become?

by rabuse on 4/23/24, 5:23 AM with 3 comments

I'm a "local guide" with their reviewing system, and it seems they have shadow-banned nearly 90% of legitimate reviews I've left over the years. It's quite alarming, because it seems any business can just flag a negative review now, and have it taken down to boost their overall rating, while obviously allowing companies to have 1 review accounts leave a fake 5-star rating. It has completely removed my trust in their rating system after witnessing this.

  • by mPReDiToR on 4/23/24, 6:41 AM

    This isn't just GOOG products, it's everything with a review.

    It's cheaper to buy a thousand five star reviews than improve your service to the point where honest reviewers give you top marks.

    The review/stars system is not fit for basing decisions on. Unhappy people are more likely to leave a review in frustration and one bad review outweighs twenty good ones. The deck is stacked poorly.

    I do leave reviews when I'm happy about a place, but I try to make it obvious I've been there and am relating an experience rather than just tapping a star.

  • by reify on 4/23/24, 5:42 AM

    Who on earth bothers to use google maps any more?

    They are so retro 1950's.

    Organic maps on me blower and openstreetmaps on the old Puter.

    Blinding mucker!