--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the “General Map Maker” Google Group.
- To post a public response in this same thread, please reply to this e-mail.
- To find a list of Frequently Asked Questions, visit- http://goo.gl/yuVdY
- To post a new topic, visit- http://goo.gl/DeX9Z & select 'Post a question'
- To unsubscribe from this list, manage your subscriptions here: http://goo.gl/oGfnJ
Thanks for using Google Map Maker! =)
Although this hasn't been codified in the help guidelines, escort services of the sex kind aren't permitted on Google Maps. There's really no ambiguity here. And yes, this comes straight from Google. For further enlightenment, there's the Places content policy guidelines, which are applicable to any kind of business: http://goo.gl/LrJ1X. The guidelines vaguely prohibit some sex-related businesses, but more importantly, they specifically prohibit illegal businesses, and escort services, no matter how fancy you word the disclaimer, are illegal (except in a few counties in Nevada).To be clear, here's some problems with escort services:1) It's illegal almost everywhere in the U.S., despite the relative lax enforcement of existing local, state, and federal provisions.2) Most escort services use either UPS Store boxes or false addresses, again due to the fact that it's illegal, and to prevent anyone from tracking down sex workers (violent johns, the vice squad, or the IRS). Private (and public) mailbox services are a violation of Google guidelines: http://goo.gl/RtNu5.3) There's no way to verify the age of the sex workers, and not all sex workers are doing this work voluntarily.4) It's politically untenable for Google to be seen visibly supporting the sex-for-hire industry, particularly when they're subject to so many anti-trust and privacy investigations (look at what happened to Craigslist).Looking through the websites and the listings, it strikes me how spammy most escort services are. From the highly misleading photos lifted from other sources (including competitors), to the massive proliferation of multiple listings for the same business, to the coded content obviously and blatantly selling prostitution, it's really as spammy as they get.
Although this hasn't been codified in the help guidelines, escort services of the sex kind aren't permitted on Google Maps. There's really no ambiguity here. And yes, this comes straight from Google. For further enlightenment, there's the Places content policy guidelines, which are applicable to any kind of business: http://goo.gl/LrJ1X. The guidelines vaguely prohibit some sex-related businesses, but more importantly, they specifically prohibit illegal businesses, and escort services, no matter how fancy you word the disclaimer, are illegal (except in a few counties in Nevada).To be clear, here's some problems with escort services:1) It's illegal almost everywhere in the U.S., despite the relative lax enforcement of existing local, state, and federal provisions.2) Most escort services use either UPS Store boxes or false addresses, again due to the fact that it's illegal, and to prevent anyone from tracking down sex workers (violent johns, the vice squad, or the IRS). Private (and public) mailbox services are a violation of Google guidelines: http://goo.gl/RtNu5.3) There's no way to verify the age of the sex workers, and not all sex workers are doing this work voluntarily.4) It's politically untenable for Google to be seen visibly supporting the sex-for-hire industry, particularly when they're subject to so many anti-trust and privacy investigations (look at what happened to Craigslist).Looking through the websites and the listings, it strikes me how spammy most escort services are. From the highly misleading photos lifted from other sources (including competitors), to the massive proliferation of multiple listings for the same business, to the coded content obviously and blatantly selling prostitution, it's really as spammy as they get.
I try to judge each on its own merits, and err on the side of caution. If I pulled down your listings, it was because they were spammy. Google allows strip clubs on Places, doesn't allow cam online sites (it's not something that really fits in their Places model, and not because of any legal/ethical complications, but because it's not something that is location-based since they don't come to you and you don't go to them, except in the most virtual sense).Yes, Google bots scrape all kinds of websites, and they're often wrong, which is why I end up deleting their messes. It's a mindless bot programmed to do one thing, and not very well, either, considering their mistakes.There's also a ton of leftover escort listings on Places that were previously taken down, and then re-instated due to a bug, so don't feel bad that you don't have a listing.No, escort services are not illegal, but paying a service provider working under the guise of 'escort services' for sexual services is.I guess I'm not seeing the issue with ads. The Adwords links are for legal businesses--I'm pretty sure porn isn't illegal unless you live inside a Baptist Church in Tennessee. Webcam is legal (even though neither business type has a presence on Places).Ask all your clients to support legalization.
Yes, Google is a hypocrite. Yes, Google does stupid and occasionally unethical if not outright illegal things when it comes to advertising and favoring its own products over that of others. I can't fix that or reconcile it, anymore than I can reconcile the fact that you can pay people to have sex, but you can't pay to have sex with them (at least not in the U.S.). Strange, right? Nonetheless, Google can't be seen advertising illegal services. They just can't. It opens them up to lawsuits, public pressure, political blackmail, everything. That would be one big ****storm that Google has no interest in participating in. That's just reality.Google doesn't technically allow escort listings, but they're there, and for whatever reason, they're very difficult to remove. There's many problems with the Google Maps products--features can persist even after they've been removed (what I call ghosts or echoes). Map Maker is a little more rigorous than Places when it comes to removing spam content. Places is much more passive, relying on Report a problem, which is another Google fiasco.Anyway, just because something is listed on the Yellow Pages or other search directories doesn't mean it should be listed on Google Places.Google doesn't really allow sensual massage if it leads to a happy ending, and most legit massage businesses carefully omit any reference to sensual for the negative, sexual connotations that licensed massage services don't want to advertise to potential clients (and usually, the two types of clients don't want to get into any awkward situations, either, so it's in everyone's best interest to keep it separate). I don't make the rules (I'm not a Google employee or contractor). I did remove quite a bit of escort service spam at one point, and occasionally I drop in to see what else is out there, but my focus is primarily on removing locksmith spam. I am by no means active in your area (someone else is pulling down escort listings for St. Louis), so I'm a little befuddled as to why I get the responsibility for your listing. I really have no control over that.I don't doubt what you're saying as to the authenticity of your location, but what I am saying that if the end result is a guy drops $200 on a table and one of your escorts has sex with him, then that's prostitution. You can call it an escort service or whatever, but in the end, it's still one person paying another for sex. That is 'spam'. No one is going to approve that, especially if you append Escort Service to the label. The bot does occasionally scrape websites and add escort service listings that way, but even legit businesses (funeral and police escort) are going to have a hard time adding escort service listings to Google Maps, and invariably a Google Reviewer will come along and suggest that you undo your edit and add it through Google Places, and Google Places will just say no.What you really want is for me to agree with you, add my approval to your listing, and promise not to delete, none of which I can do. I understand the overwhelming desire to have your listing on Google Places, because that's the defacto Yellow Pages. You probably see other escort listings, and wonder how they got there, or why they never get pulled down (I wonder, too). Everyone wants in on it because Google favors it's own search results over that of others. Nonetheless, with some clever SEO strategizing, your clients will still find you. I can't tell you what that is--what little I know is probably not going to help you anyway, but if you look around I'm sure you'll find a solution to your problem. Someone else has already figured it out.I can't see your listing because the link is bad (maybe it was already rejected?). I would tell you the same thing I'm telling you now even if I had seen it, if you offer prostitution aka escort services, it can't get approval.
You posted a link. The link didn't work. You asked me to look at it. I went looking for it. I typed in Escort Service in St. Louis. I found an escort service. I deleted it. What did you think I was going to do, give you SEO advice?I apologize for having a mind, and using it; a conscience, and applying it. A fault of mine.The information is already available in the Places and MM guidelines. There's a specific prohibition against Escort Service in the RER guidelines (which is only available to RERs), but you'll be disappointed to read that it just reads 'Escort services are not permitted' so I'm sure you'll find some wiggle room in that statement (helps to be flexible when it comes to the truth).
Correct.Although this is the first time I've actually gone through gomez's profile to see if he/she/it has added listings. It's always been my assumption that gomez was removing the listings.Had me fooled!
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the “General Map Maker” Google Group.
- To post a public response in this same thread, please reply to this e-mail.
- To find a list of Frequently Asked Questions, visit- http://goo.gl/yuVdY
- To post a new topic, visit- http://goo.gl/DeX9Z & select 'Post a question'
- To unsubscribe from this list, manage your subscriptions here: http://goo.gl/oGfnJ
Thanks for using Google Map Maker! =)
210 N 17th St St Louis MO 63103
Must be? Not sure.
Sai, don't bother, George has already been complaining about this in the Places forum in a thread that has all the information.George, you will get even less sympathy here. This is not a forum where we decide what should and shouldn't be allowed. The mappers and the RERs have no say in that. It is 100% Google that sets the guidelines, and they have been very clear with us. Map Maker is the master tool to edit Maps; it is used not only by volunteers but also Places and Maps staff. The guidelines for using Map Maker therefore set what can and cannot be on the Map. Places is but a feed into Maps; getting your business verified there through an automated process has no bearing on whether you are in the end permitted on the map. And complaining to us has no bearing; you are totally off base to keep accusing us of making these decisions; they come from Google.
Sai, don't bother, George has already been complaining about this in the Places forum in a thread that has all the information.George, you will get even less sympathy here. This is not a forum where we decide what should and shouldn't be allowed. The mappers and the RERs have no say in that. It is 100% Google that sets the guidelines, and they have been very clear with us. Map Maker is the master tool to edit Maps; it is used not only by volunteers but also Places and Maps staff. The guidelines for using Map Maker therefore set what can and cannot be on the Map. Places is but a feed into Maps; getting your business verified there through an automated process has no bearing on whether you are in the end permitted on the map. And complaining to us has no bearing; you are totally off base to keep accusing us of making these decisions; they come from Google.
Sai, don't bother, George has already been complaining about this in the Places forum in a thread that has all the information.George, you will get even less sympathy here. This is not a forum where we decide what should and shouldn't be allowed. The mappers and the RERs have no say in that. It is 100% Google that sets the guidelines, and they have been very clear with us. Map Maker is the master tool to edit Maps; it is used not only by volunteers but also Places and Maps staff. The guidelines for using Map Maker therefore set what can and cannot be on the Map. Places is but a feed into Maps; getting your business verified there through an automated process has no bearing on whether you are in the end permitted on the map. And complaining to us has no bearing; you are totally off base to keep accusing us of making these decisions; they come from Google.
Okay flash and Sai take these escort agency spam down then .
https://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=17715763901557678437
https://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=6663764215822528424
https://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=8340294901866971568.
--
Escorts are not permitted features on MapMaker and are considered Spam/Abuse and can be deleted as such. See http://goo.gl/VfOOc
From: General Map Maker on behalf of GeorgeTx <google-mapmaker@googlegroups.com>Sender: General Map Maker on behalf of GeorgeTx <google-mapmaker@googlegroups.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 15:15:31 -0700 (PDT)
ReplyTo: General Map Maker on behalf of GeorgeTx <google-mapmaker@googlegroups.com>
Escorts are not permitted features on MapMaker and are considered Spam/Abuse and can be deleted as such. See http://goo.gl/VfOOc
From: General Map Maker on behalf of GeorgeTx <google-mapmaker@googlegroups.com>Sender: General Map Maker on behalf of GeorgeTx <google-mapmaker@googlegroups.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 15:15:31 -0700 (PDT)
ReplyTo: General Map Maker on behalf of GeorgeTx <google-mapmaker@googlegroups.com>