Google To Discontinue Particular person Follower Function On Google Maps By September

Google has announced it should shut down the person follower function on Google Maps later this yr. The change, set to take impact in September, marks the tip of a social performance that allowed customers to observe different people to view their public exercise, resembling posted critiques, pictures, and movies. This determination comes after Google had already phased out a associated function earlier in January—the flexibility to observe companies for updates on occasions and promotions.

The person follower system was launched in 2020 as an extension of the 2018 “Observe” button function (launched in 2019 on iOS), which initially allowed customers to observe companies. The objective was to make Google Maps a extra community-driven platform, including a social layer the place customers may have interaction with content material shared by others. Nonetheless, the follower function by no means gained widespread adoption and, in some circumstances, led to undesirable interactions, resembling spam requests from bots.

With the upcoming elimination, Google acknowledged that each one follower-related knowledge—each who customers observe and who follows them—might be completely deleted from its servers. The visibility settings of person profiles will stay intact, however there’ll now not be a have to handle follower requests, particularly for these with restricted accounts. For a lot of customers, this will likely come as a aid because of the restricted engagement and occasional spam related to the function.

Google is encouraging customers serious about group interplay to transition to Native Guides Join, an official discussion board the place members can earn factors for contributing to Maps by writing critiques, submitting pictures, or enhancing place data. This platform is extra centered on sensible engagement moderately than social connections and continues to help listing creation and sharing.

In a separate improvement, Google not too long ago expanded its partnership with electrical automobile maker Rivian. Rivian’s vans and SUVs are actually adopting a brand new navigation system powered by the Google Maps Auto SDK, changing the previous system that used Mapbox. This replace gives drivers with entry to real-time site visitors knowledge and enhanced search capabilities for factors of curiosity, strengthening Google Maps’ position within the EV navigation house.

Filed in Cellphones >Computers. Learn extra about Google and Google Maps.