Google Maps presents a way for users to add and edit roads (again)

Google plans to introduce a new feature on Google Maps that will allow users to draw lost roads directly on the map, ostensibly improving the service’s coverage in some areas where Google’s data sources are not comprehensive.

The feature will only be available on the desktop web version of Google Maps, not on mobile phone applications. And it will be – at least in the beginning – offered in 80 countries. Google says it will “check” these suggested changes to the map before posting them for other users to see.

This is how it works, according to Google:

When you see a missing road on maps.google.com, simply click on the side menu button, go to “Edit the map” and select “Missing road”. Now the power to map is in your hands! Add missing roads by drawing lines, quickly rename roads, change the direction of the road, and realign or delete incorrect roads.

This is not the first time that Google has offered users the ability to edit their maps. The company used to run a tool called Map Maker, which functioned as a kind of map curated by the community similar to Wikipedia. But the experimented tool stops and starts when moderation becomes an issue, and Google turns it off in 2017. However, a limited subset of Map Maker features has been made available to super users that Google calls “Local Guides” .

The new map editing features are more accurate and powerful and will be available to more people. Google didn’t say how it could best deal with the moderation challenges it faced with previous maps edited by the community.

In the same blog post that was used to announce the new map editing feature, Google also unveiled a promotional campaign to convince Android users to leave more comments for local businesses, and also introduced a new feature for Maps called ” photo updates. ” Users will be able to post photos with short text entries that accompany them, but without having to leave a comment. The hope is that this feature will lead to more useful photos that can help potential visitors identify things like availability of parking, seating and other details that can inform users’ decisions about whether or not to go somewhere.

Google’s instructions for using the photo update feature are as follows:

Just go to the “Updates” tab when you’re in a location on Google Maps to see the most recent photos that merchants and others have shared. To add your own update, tap the “upload a photo update” button, select your photos, leave a brief description and post. You can post as many photos as you like and find photo updates that others have left on the Updates tab.

Google says photo updates will be released “in the coming weeks”, while the road editing tool will reach users “in the coming months”.

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