# So, Google Maps Reviews Are Moderated?

In the wee hours of this morning, I got this email (which you can see in the Appendix) that said my Google Maps review wasn’t posted and which implied it was “fake engagement.”

# Review in Question

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1689778870103/a449a86c-709b-4595-85f9-f3947a2d72e7.png align="center")

Text of the five-star review:

> “Even though I didn't personally love the flavors I think that it's a decent portion and probably quite good for the type of food it is.”

I see why this looks like a fake review. It’s pretty generic, it says something negative(ish), and I gave the restaurant five stars.

I got this email at 2 AM but posted the review much earlier in the day. This means there was probably some element of human reporting or curation here.

# Why did I write the review like this?

Well, I thought the food was probably quite good objectively but the particular dish I got didn’t have flavors that I enjoyed. So I just wanted to give them a strong rating for having what’s probably authentic food with nice portions at decent prices.

A side note: The next review I posted for the walking tour I didn’t wasn’t posted right away. It said “pending” but 20 minutes later when I refreshed the page it was posted. I wonder if that’s related.

# What The Internet Says

Not much. A few people are complaining on Google forums [here](https://support.google.com/business/thread/175785054), [here](https://support.google.com/maps/thread/189989721/your-review-isn-t-posted?hl=en), and [here](https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Your-review-isn-t-posted/td-p/3510780). Seems this started about a year ago but hasn't come up too often. I hope that means it isn't an issue so much for people posting legit reviews.

# Why do I keep Using Google Maps?

1. I haven't found a great alternative for POI (Points of Interest) when traveling.
    
2. The photos of menus and food are very helpful.
    
3. I don't have an iPhone to use Apple Maps.
    
4. I use (and contribute to) OpenStreetMap when I can but it simply doesn't have an ecosystem yet to help you find relevant POI.
    
5. It's a net positive to my life right now.
    
6. They've gamified it to the point of being fun to contribute.
    

# Final Thoughts

I'm stuck with Google Maps for now. If this is the main inconvenience I face (surveillance aside) because of it then that's not so bad. I look forward to the day an Open Source alternative finds some success and I can start contributing there more.

Update: 21 July 2023. I edited my review last night to town the stars and be more specific. The review was yet again "not posted" so now I'll just delete it.

---

# Appendix

Email from Google:

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1689779005954/d753c3dc-ce06-424a-913a-51c7b9eaf7c2.png align="center")

Text of Email:

> “Your review isn’t posted”
> 
> What happened
> 
> Content that violates our policy on fake engagement isn't allowed. Fake engagement includes incentivized content, content intended to manipulate a place's rating, and other content that doesn't represent a genuine experience.
> 
> [See content policy](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114#fake_engagement&zippy=%2Cfake-engagement)
> 
> What you can do
> 
> If you think we made a mistake, you can submit an appeal.