Why are some escort services still up and others are no longer?

[John Russell]

When doing a search on google for "new york escorts". Bon vivant comes up first and there are a couple of others like foxy escorts,etc

https://plus.google.com/105402316269355789860/about?gl=us&hl=en#105402316269355789860/about?gl=us&hl=en

https://plus.google.com/116668587632400327641/about?gl=us&hl=en#116668587632400327641/about?gl=us&hl=en

https://plus.google.com/105363508653952725052/about?hl=en#105363508653952725052/about?hl=en

https://plus.google.com/107276675116166546956/about?hl=en#107276675116166546956/about?hl=en

and a few others are not real. The last redirects to an escort site when you go to its .com url
These

[John Russell]

So I would like to understand are escort services allowed or not. I tried to remove Bon Vivant in the google mapmaker editor but it does not even appear. Can someone answer is it allowed or not. All of them have fake addresses and do not exist at the locations.

[Wthrwyz]

They are not allowed to be added through Map Maker. The simple reasoning behind this is that they are nearly always service-area businesses without a physical location (storefront) and therefore cannot be handled in Map Maker. Add to that the dubious legality of some of these services and it becomes difficult to police them here. Google+ Local/Places can handle these businesses but only under very explicit guidelines.

The Map Maker Permitted Businesses list was updated after the last update and no longer seems to mention escort services explicitly, but you can have the official word from a Google employee as recently as August that escort services are not permitted in Map Maker. If you see an escort listed as an actual point with a physical address and no service area, then either a) it was added inappropriately through Maps/Map Maker, or b) it was added through Places, but the owner has not hidden the address as per the requirements there. Either way, it is appropriate to delete them as spam/abuse because if you see them it means they are not listed properly.

As for why there are some still up...they just haven't been caught and deleted yet.

[John Russell]

so what about escort services that do not have an address but just mark a service area. Are those allowed?

[John Russell]

On Friday, October 26, 2012 5:45:11 PM UTC-4, John Russell wrote:

so what about escort services that do not have an address but just mark a service area. Are those allowed?

And also what about escort services that were not added through local places or mapmaker. Those that were added by google from other sources? Are they allowed?

[John Russell]

On Friday, October 26, 2012 4:25:52 PM UTC-4, blissfulight wrote:

I can't answer whether Escort Services are allowed as a category or not.  There have been some recent changes that prevent anyone from using that category on Google+Local (which may be a bug), and there's been some noise on the Google+Local forums that they are allowed, and they're not allowed, but...If the location is spam or doesn't comply with Google Quality guidelines, then it can be removed.  

In the case of Bon Vivant, there's a bug that's preventing it from being taken down (it's already been removed in MM), and it should be reported, like all the other fake addresses, using Report a problem on the Google+Local pages, and removed from MM also, if possible.  

Here's all the MM pages:

MediVan NEMT (PO Box, Category spam):  

http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=39&fid=0x89c25468d2a327d9:0xcbcf8ea244f19403

http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=39&fid=0x89c3afb2d9030eed:0x2e1daa98308ca3a7

Foxy Escorts:

http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=39&fid=0x89c28901d3ee1c9b:0xaed2f2d31cb9a687

NYC Happy Girl Escorts:

http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=39&fid=0x89c2599dcdbe8e41:0x4dea180f1b9563c9

Bon Vivant:

http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=39&fid=0x89c259063bc0acbd:0xb34d156762c67060

Many legitimate businesses use Escort Service because there's no alternative category available, and the current category scheme is not sufficiently nuanced to describe their business.  Pilot car, police, elderly, and funeral escort service POIs fall into this category conundrum.  

Im just wondering what is the bug that prevents Bon Vivant from being taken down? Will this bug be fixed? Im asking because Im new to all this.

[Flash]

 If you see an escort listed as an actual point with a physical address and no service area, then either a) it was added inappropriately through Maps/Map Maker, or b) it was added through Places, but the owner has not hidden the address as per the requirements there. Either way, it is appropriate to delete them as spam/abuse because if you see them it means they are not listed properly.

Or

c) was properly set up in Places with a hidden address, but it takes up to a week for the address to actually hide,

or 

d) was properly set up in Places with a hidden address but has imported wrong to Map Maker... happens all the time

which is two of several reasons why we really can't tell whether they're set up correctly or not.

[Wthrwyz]

Listen to Flash. He knows a lot more about Places than I do. :)

[Andrew Sawyer]

Escort services, like any feature on MapMaker has to be: 

• "legal" 
• "have a permanent physical location where people can go and complete their business transaction" and 
• be "open to the public." 

It can't be: 

• "Hotlines" 
• "Online-only business" or a 
• "Service area business listing addresses without a permanent physical address / closed to the public."

Most Escort Services are going to be SAB because business isn't conducted at the establishment since Escorts (escort people). There will be very few places that would qualify as permanate features and not be a SAB.

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[John Russell]

so out of a b c and d which one is ok for google local places and should be allowed to stay and not deleted?

[Andrew Sawyer]

If they are SABs and are showing in MapMaker they are fairgame to be deleted as SABs. Deleting in MapMaker doesn't actually remove it completely, just from the public eye. 

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[Flash]

so out of a b c and d which one is ok for google local places and should be allowed to stay and not deleted?

Places has been badly broken for over half a year.  There is no way to tell which letter they are, so there is no way to say that any should stay.

[Saikrishna Arcot]

That's why I typically check the place in Maps before deleting for SAB violation; it should show up correctly there. Map Maker doesn't have much support for SABs.

[John Russell]

So can an escort service that is SAB with a hidden address stay on google local places and be removed from mapmaker?

[Andrew Sawyer]

Yes.

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Subject: Re: Why are some escort services still up and others are no longer?

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[Flash]

That's why I typically check the place in Maps before deleting for SAB violation; it should show up correctly there. Map Maker doesn't have much support for SABs.

If it has been created with no address at all, a violation, it will show up the same.  So Maps tells you nothing, unfortunately. 

[SE-What]

So.... In Canada, Escort Services are legal, both in-call and out-call. However, in Google Places, there is no 'category' that is suitable. So what does one do? Also, is it possible to be added on Google Local/places without showing the address?

[Andrew Sawyer]

If you go to the Google for Business forum they can walk you through. Otherwise just follow the Places guidelines, which includes "Hiding the address" as Escorts don't conduct business at the address for the feature.

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Subject: Re: Why are some escort services still up and others are no longer?

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[Flash]

It has nothing to do with legality, we have instructions that they are not to be mapped in any country.

Places was allowing them if the address was hidden so that they did not appear unless specifically searched; but then retracted the category; there is no longer any way to add them.

[SE-What]

Yikes. 

Thanks Flash for the quick update. Currently there are a ton of listings that show up, giving a very large advantage to my client's competitors. Most of these places are shifty and sketchy - meanwhile, my client (www.cupidsescorts.ca) runs a very legitimate agency and can't get on. Can we expect a level playing field? And if so, how soon?

[Flash]

Other than the brief period that Places was allowing them, which appears to have been rethought, Google has never really changed it's position.  So if your question is when will they allow them; the answer would be that we have no way of knowing, but going on history the answer would be likely never, since they never have allowed them.

Many listing may have been added by bots who don't know better.  Others are spammers adding them to the map.  Most will not last long before Google employees and Map Maker volunteers notice and remove them.  It is a constant cycle, what you see is but a small portion of what has been on the map at one time; but Google employees do remove them regularly.  If you wish, you are welcome to mark some for deletion also if you figure it is giving your client an unfair disadvantage.  I'm not sure what would be the response should you mark one that was set up properly in Places during the brief period they allowed them; but those compose an extremely small portion of what is out there and so chances are you won't come across one.

[Flash]

I'm curious as to why immediately after I told you they are not permitted regardless of legality, you then posted on the Places forum as to how to add them, explaining that they are legal in Canada.  I repeat, that has no bearing, they are not permitted.

[CandiCarter]

Although Escort Service doesn't show in the drop down box you can type it in and it will be accepted as a category and you will be able to go to the verification screen.If your business falls under one of the Adult Entertainment categories you can use that too.
There is a check box to hide your address.
If you have a legally set up business (license registration etc0.there's a good chance Google will approve it. There would be no reason for MM to remove your legal and properly set up Places listing.

Good Luck!

[Flash]

This is incorrect information.  It is a Places requirement that you choose the main category from the drop down list.  It is against their guidelines to type it in.  If they have removed the category, that would indicate they are no longer accepting that category.

[CandiCarter]

If you type in a non drop down box category it will give you a prompt in red to use a suggested category.Except when you type in Escort Service which is accepted as a  suggested category and allows you to proceed to verification.Maybe a bug as I saw mentioned in an earlier post. Whatever the reason it works.

[Flash]

Whether you can go to verification or not, it is still a guideline requirement that you use one from the suggestions.  It is an automated process, finding a way around a requirement does not preclude you from following the requirement.  Spammers try that all the time, and the fact that they manage to get a lot of spam on the map via Places does not mean it gets to stay up.  Places will ban accounts that are found to not have followed the guidelines when later checked by humans.  A new aspect this week is reports by people that they are then told when they create a new account that it will automatically be banned too; that they are not allowed an account anymore.  I cannot verify if that last is absolute, it is just reports so far.

[CandiCarter]

[CandiCarter]

It could also be a bug that Escort Service is not showing in the drop down box but is meant to be.If you type anything else in that is not a suggested category (for at least 1 of your categories) it will not be accepted and you'll get the red warning text.I have successfully added a business that way after having email contact with Google's help team to show business documentation and it was not an issue.

There have been a few instances of escort services that were removed by MM folks being reinstated one example is: 

Best Las Vegas Escorts

www.bestlasvegasescorts.com/

6 Google reviews

so it's obvious Google is not anti escort service just anti spam escort service which truthfully is most of them.

[Flash]

I'm afraid that is not an example of a business that has been reinstated.  There is no history, if it was reinstated then there would be a history that showed both the removal and the reinstatement.  This is a freshly created one.  It was already queued for removal several days ago, a removal that should be approved since it is against guidelines.

[CandiCarter]

How did it get freshly created having been deleted according to a post on the Google Places help forum? 

[Andrew Sawyer]

Someone or something rescued it from Spam heaven...

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From: CandiCarter via General Map Maker <google-mapmaker+noreply-APn2wQfx...@googlegroups.com>

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Subject: Re: Why are some escort services still up and others are no longer?

How did it get freshly created having been deleted according to a post on the Google Places help forum? 

On Wednesday, November 14, 2012 8:26:50 PM UTC-6, Flash wrote:

I'm afraid that is not an example of a business that has been reinstated.  There is no history, if it was reinstated then there would be a history that showed both the removal and the reinstatement.  This is a freshly created one.  It was already queued for removal several days ago, a removal that should be approved since it is against guidelines.

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[Flash]

It is possible to undelete listings, but that isn't what happened here.  The old listing would have been deleted and remains deleted, so they created a new one which is also now about to be deleted.  That's a big difference from reinstated.

[katierose]

Would any of the RERs take a look at keywords Miami Escorts? Several escort businesses listed with addresses showing. I thought they were not allowed, period. Can anyone clarify this matter once and for all? Is that possible?

[katierose]

[Flash]

Mappers can work on whatever they wish to do.  If you have found escorts that are showing their address on Maps (Map Maker is not good enough, you must check Maps/Local), then you are free to mark them for deletion yourself.

[katierose]

So Flash the policy is in fact that escort services, the companionship type. are still not allowed? Do ot want to delete an otherwise allowed business

[Flash]

The policy of none on the map has never changed, please see the list of allowed businesses that has been referenced numerous times.  Google+ Local was allowing you to add them as a SAB with a hidden address, thus meeting the not on the map criteria, but they have since removed the category from their list.

However, hiding the address via the Places process, when it was available, just makes it so that they meet one criteria.  They still must meet the many other criteria to be listed.

[katierose]

These are old outdated listings anyhow. Places no longer has escort services in drop down menu.Google Plus requires business pages to list an address. Why do they keep popping up? Why just not eliminate them once and for all? Guess consistency is not a priority for Google

[Andrew Sawyer]

You could report them to signal to Google they're still up so they get taken down.

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[katierose]

Thanks guys will do. I do believe there is a bug here complicating matters. Know as a fact all of these listings are 2-3 years old.

[katierose]

Thanks Bliss. Of course they have an unfair advantage. We havent even tried to reinstate our listing since last year accepting Google's decision and honestly have not missed it but more importantly most of these businesses currently listed under Miami Escorts are basically one and the same, foreign owned group with shall we say an extremely shady reputation.

Is there a way to report these to Google Plus Local?

[katierose]

Will do. Wonder if this whole spam issue has created more problems than it solved.

[katierose]

It truly is disgusting and more on point the bad ones are the only ones that can afford reposting.

[katierose]

I mean SEO is not cheap. Quality web designs are also not cheap. Imagine that being done by same group all over the country, in hundreds of cities. Get the picture? Google Places is what offered us little people a chance at competing. Not there anymore. We dont have the time nor resources to constantly be putting up listings with different names and addresses. What are you left with? The people you mentioned

[katierose]

We do have an office, a real one and have city and county permits and registered our fictitious name. However, that not enough for Google so why bother?

[katierose]

Thanks, really grateful. Can i have you check out my listing once its verified?

[katierose]

Will certainly do that. It is still confusing at least to me. For example G+ requires you disclose an address even if you have a service area. Places requires you hide it. So I certainly ask your expert advise. All I want is to fully comply. Thanks for everything.

[katierose]

And heres another issue: G+ wont allow you to verify listing/business page if youre an escort service

[katierose]

Thanks again Bliss.

[katierose]

Most of the listings here in Miami are G+ pages and outdated. Yes the addresses listed are clearly spammy. One of them has Bayfront Park!!!Perhaps loosing market share to Bing and Yahoo Local had an effect on Google's continuing conflicting policies. Who knows?

[katierose]

Latest: it was actually Google itself that placed these listings from their somewhat outdated records. I asked. Not one agency did a thing!!!

[katierose]

Yes telemarketers on a feeding frenzy claiming Google lifted its moratorium on Escort Services

[Flash]

I think it's important to note that while there seems to be the impression by some that we are on against escort services; we are actually just anti-spam.  I think this is evidenced by the fact that your willingness to be one of the rare ones to set yourself up as per the guidelines is meeting no resistance from us, and even help from Bliss.  I would gladly offer my help too, but Bliss seems to have all the bases covered.

But the changes Bliss refers to happened a number of months back, I believe.  Bliss, correct me if I'm wrong.  That is when they announced the "your allowed if you set yourself up as a hidden address SAB (and follow all other guidelines)".  Since then, no policy changes have occurred.  The only noticeable change, as you have observed, the category disappeared from Places.

I'm thus surprised by the telemarketers.  Have you inquired from them what their proof of this change might be?

Since the current Google+ Local pages administered from the dashboard appears to be a temporary measure until they can fully switch to Google+ pages, it would seem like there actually would be a moratorium on the horizon.  Notice the last sentence of section 14 of the Google+ Terms of Service.  I'm not sure how you are supposed to set up your listing considering the lack of the category within Places; but if you are able to set it up I'd make sure to do it before they move completely to Google+ pages as most checks occur soon after any changes are made.

[Flash]

Actually, I think I initiated that dialogue between the two sides.  And yes, they informed me that they result was basically "If Places wants to allow them to be added using the SAB process, so be it.  However, it appears that they haven't read the Google+ TOS, which they just started to fall under."

If you'll remember, Places had just converted to Google+ Local back then, so they might have not know all the G+ rules.  I'm guessing that the removal of the category might have had something to do with the G+ TOS.

[katierose]

I thank both of you. As Flash mentioned all I want is a spam free, in full compliance listing, as they all should be. It is true and hope others see that these Gentlemen are in fact against spam and not on some right wing/moral agenda. Having said that, even if others are against this business, that's America: all are entitled to an opinion and should be respected.I sure do.

[katierose]

If its any comfort bliss you are much misunderstood. Add to your description extremely smart, dedicated and I can attest, fair.a

[katierose]

They talk a good story but thats all it is

[katierose]

As I said, stories but who am I to tell tell a competitor how to spend his money? Never took him seriously. In fact, dont think anyone did but it was an interesting tale. Take it you never got served? Dont let them insult your intelligence. Not worth your time.

[katierose]

LOl nope. Never did.