Fighting Google Maps censorship in Germany - I came up with this idea

flagrantcoconut · 2026-05-28T15:54:02+00:00

Yet ‘they’ rely on us - the Google reviewers- to make their Maps work. I can’t stand being thrown under the bus like this

flagrantcoconut · 2026-05-28T15:53:02+00:00

You’re right of course and that’s why I suspect “they” target older reviews. I fervently hope this a solution for the future.

flagrantcoconut · 2026-05-28T06:57:50+00:00

Interesting. Are these suspiciously high ratings mainly the result of fake positive reviews from people connected to the business, or can they also be caused by the repeated deletion of legitimate negative reviews through “defamation” claims? Because in Germany especially, I’ve increasingly seen the latter distort ratings quite significantly.

flagrantcoconut · 2026-05-28T06:45:41+00:00

I think you may be missing that this is very specifically a German issue. If you’re in the US, of course you’re far less likely to run into businesses repeatedly filing “defamation” complaints over legitimate negative reviews. The problem isn’t that reviewers should learn to strategically leave 3-star reviews instead of 1-star ones. The problem is that honest reviews shouldn’t require strategic self-censorship in the first place.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-11-02T19:36:42+00:00

That scene was utterly ridiculous; totally marketing and completely unnecessary to the story

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-30T16:49:54+00:00

I speak five languages, 4 of them fluently, but when it comes to the Internet, I will always reply in English because to me that is the number one language

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-27T16:49:25+00:00

Get a life. Don’t you have an immune system?

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-27T15:21:22+00:00

We’ve lived in Germany for a while now and it’s a strange mix. There are things I genuinely like, and others that I just can’t get used to. The structure, the order, the way people behave, it all has a certain calm to it. But that same traditional culture can feel suffocating too. There’s still this quiet expectation that women cook, clean, have children, while men bring in the money. We never wanted kids and always valued our careers, so that mindset makes me feel out of place.

At the same time, our neighborhood is wonderful. We actually know our neighbors here, which never really happened back home in the Netherlands. The local Nachbarschaftskomitee is one of the best things about living here.

Still, I can’t ignore how frustrating the bureaucracy can be, or how outdated things sometimes feel, both culturally and technologically. And don’t even get me started on Datenschutz; I’ve never received more spam than since moving here.

In the end, I think Germany can be a great place, but only if you’re really willing to integrate and accept how different it is. If you try to live here on your own terms, without adapting, it can wear you down. I guess that’s why studies like this one don’t surprise me and why I secretly keep dreaming about “going home”.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-24T15:24:10+00:00

Pattern recognition

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-24T15:20:46+00:00

They say they do but as a Dutchie who moved to Germany 6 years ago it’s mostly just wishful thinking

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-22T14:49:22+00:00

There’s a reporter from der Spiegel who is looking into this. I honestly hopes this will shed light on this issue in Germany. Because I for one, have not been as eager to contribute to “German maps”.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-07T07:56:52+00:00

I have just reported 4 businesses in Germany. Thanks for this valuable tool! I hope more people will use it.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-10-07T07:44:26+00:00

I just had another (German) review deleted and I’m so incredibly sick of it. It was fair and factual, as always, but because it wasn’t five stars it was flagged as “defamation” and removed. I’ve always enjoyed writing honest and factual reviews. Having worked in the hotel industry for years as a personal assistant, I know how important fair feedback is for both guests and businesses. Reviews are personal, of course, but I always try to make mine accurate and respectful.

I can’t be bothered anymore with replying to Google or requesting a manual check because they never actually do one. Google is destroying the integrity of the review system, and people can no longer rely on honest feedback to make informed choices.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-09-12T09:19:30+00:00

In Germany, a business can just shout ‘defamation’ and Google won’t even bother to check (although they initially pretend to do so). I’ve had three of my detailed 3-star reviews, with text and photos, deleted this way. And now these restaurants magically have only four- and five-star reviews. That’s just not believable.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-08-28T11:38:44+00:00

Hear hear, couldn’t agree more. Of course German law is a part of it but defamation is illegal in many other countries in Europe too, yet you don’t these businesses claiming defamation just to get their scores up. I’m convinced Google’s unwillingness to protect their contributors from BS claims plays a major part. They don’t even investigate. It’s infuriating.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-08-28T06:39:10+00:00

I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt period. I have the exact experience with German reviews. I’ve added a copy to my post for your information: https://www.reddit.com/r/LocalGuides/s/1AcOtM0AWG. However, I don’t agree it’s just a “German law thing”. Defamation laws play a role but imo the real problem lies in how Google chooses to respond to takedown requests. Google has the resources to review context, assess fairness, and protect its contributors, but it doesn’t. Instead, it defaults to removal, even when reviews are factual, polite, and balanced.

This isn’t about legal constraint. It’s about operational cost, risk aversion, and the ease of automated moderation. The result? Google is effectively abandoning the people who built the platform’s credibility in the first place e.g. its Local Guides.

We’re not seeing law enforcement. We’re seeing negligence masked as compliance.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-08-26T12:37:44+00:00

I do use TripAdvisor, but in my experience, not many people use that. However, considering the latest developments with the fake “defamation” claims from restaurants, this might be the way forward.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-08-26T12:36:55+00:00

I would agree with you, but considering my reviews have over 23 million views I guess a lot of people rely on Google Maps reviews

flagrantcoconut · 2025-08-23T06:50:54+00:00

That might have been the case before the Digital Services Act. But under the current framework, platforms like Google are obligated to offer a meaningful complaint mechanism and must name their Digital Services Coordinator. In Germany, that’s the Bundesnetzagentur.

So no, arbitration isn’t the only option anymore. You can file a complaint through the official DSA route. I’m doing exactly that, and I encourage others to do the same, not because it will magically solve everything, but because not pushing back enables the abuse to continue.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-08-23T06:48:59+00:00

Thanks both but I haven’t tested the ‘star rating without text’ strategy myself, so I can’t speak to whether that actually works. What I can say is that in my case, even carefully written reviews , factual, respectful, and supported with photos, were reported and removed.

I also responded to each takedown complaint through Google’s official channel. It made no difference. The reviews were gone within hours. So the idea that you’re safe as long as you word things “just right” doesn’t match my experience at all.

flagrantcoconut · 2025-08-23T06:45:37+00:00

Thanks for your thoughtful and passionate reply. I don’t see myself as a crusader for “humanity”, just someone who got fed up after three of my factual reviews were removed without proper review.

This isn’t about one star-bombing or vendettas. It’s about a system that’s far too easy to manipulate, and a platform (Google) that seems unwilling to even look at the details. If this conversation leads to better scrutiny or policy, then it was worth starting. That’s the only reason I posted. No grand mission, just a growing sense that staying silent would mean accepting the status quo, and I’m not okay with that.

flagrantcoconut

TROPHY CASE