Moderation Guidelines for Users

Google Map Maker enables users accessing the service through a Google Account to submit User Submissions or to edit such third party User Submissions (collectively known as "User Submissions"). Any User Submission is subject to moderation that is verification or correction by other users of the Service. By opting to moderate any User Submission you agree to be bound by the Map Maker Terms of Service and the Map Maker Privacy Policy.

You agree and undertake that the underlying intention behind moderating User Submissions is to remove any submission that you know through your personal local knowledge either or inappropriate or factually incorrect and to approve such User Submissions that to your personal knowledge are accurate.

How to Moderate

Users have the ability to moderate User submissions. When you opt to moderate a User Submission, you will have the following four options:

• Approve- you can approve a User Submission, if from your personal local knowledge you are sure that the User Submission is accurate both in terms of location and its labeling and does not violate the Map Maker Terms of Service in any manner
• Deny - you can deny a User Submission, if from your personal knowledge you are sure that the User Submission is either false or inaccurate in terms of its location and labeling. Please refer below, for more guidelines on the type of content that can be denied.
• No Action - if you are not sure of a particular User Submission then you can opt not to take any action in respect of it.
• Report Abuse - any User Submission can be reported if it contains: (a) bad or incorrect data, (b) commercial information or Spam, (c) violation of the Google Map Maker Terms of Service and (d) other reasons

Providing Comments

For each of these options, you can give your comments, stating the reasons for your decision to approve, deny, not take any action or to report abuse. While giving comments, it is your responsibility to ensure that the comments explain the decision taken by you, are relevant to the nature of the moderation action taken by you, and do not contain any inappropriate, abusive or malicious content. Please note that the comments entered by you are also subject to review and users can report them as abusive.

Guidelines for Users desirous of moderating User Submissions

The following rules shall govern any action taken by you to moderate any User Submission:

• You shall moderate only through your personal knowledge of a local place.
• Do not violate the requirements of local law.
• While moderating, do not post any material that you know, or should reasonably know to violate any law, contractual obligation, confidential information, proprietary information including copyright or the privacy or publicity rights. Google Map Maker expects you to respect and abide by copyright laws and does not condone any violation of copyright law. Users, moderating User Submissions, are expected to be familiar with the applicable copyright laws in their jurisdiction and in case of a doubt the Google Map Maker team encourages you to consult an expert in the field of copyright law in your jurisdiction for guidance.
• While moderating do not include private and confidential information such as telephone numbers or residential addresses.
• Do not include spam, malicious codes and viruses.
• Do not include inappropriate content that includes pornography, obscenity, hateful or violent content.

Content that should be 'Denied':

• Content that violates the Map Maker Terms of Service or the Map Maker Privacy Policy, including content that the user does not have the legal right to post, content that is profane or obscene, and content that defames or attacks anyone
• Content that you know by your personal local knowledge to be factually incorrect, for e.g. a non-existent building or other landmark, a road going over a building or a water body etc.
• Content that is written in a manner that may not be relevant, comprehensible or is created in the form of a test box, to test out the functionality of the service. For instance if the User Submission contains abbreviations, or short forms which other users of the Service are unlikely to understand.
• Duplicate content so as to maintain the integrity and usability of the product
• Any content that incorporates personal or private information of individuals
• Any change that is required to improve upon an existing User Submission
• Any content that is in the nature of spam or an attempt to seek commercial advantage from the service
• Content that is otherwise inappropriate for display, such as:
  • Excessive or gimmicky capitalization, such as e.g. AmaZZon RiVEr
  • Is grammatically incorrect
  • Gimmicky punctuation or, excessive/unnecessary use of numbers, letters and symbols: e.g. T@j Hotel !!!**!!

These guidelines are a subset of the Map Maker Terms of Service and are not intended to supersede or replace the terms of the said Terms of Service. In case of a conflict or doubt, the Terms of Service will override these Moderation Guidelines.

Suspension or blocking of Users

Users found moderating User Submission, more than twice, in a malicious manner or in a manner that in the sole discretion of Google appears to be with a view to post inaccurate information or in a manner that results in spam, or for giving abusive comments while moderating, shall be barred /disabled from moderating User Submissions.

Any User that has been blocked shall have an opportunity of applying to Google for the restoration of his account by sending an email to reportabuse-mapmaker@google.com stating appropriate reasons why his termination is not justified. The decision of Google in this regard shall be final and binding.

Updated on

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