Google Maps adds community maps to search results
Google is starting to add user-generated information to Google Maps search results. For example, if you search for "bike paths in New York," several of the top results will include a note showing where the East River Bike Path narrows as well as listings for bike shops. The user-generated results show up with blue icons, and for this particular query are a lot more accurate than the standard results.
Google Maps users have been able to create personalized maps for a while now by adding notes to various locations and saving the maps to "my maps." In case you had any illusions that this was private data, this is the pool of information Google is using to beef up its search results.
If you'd rather not share your favorite coffee shop with the whole world, just make sure not to set your personalized map to public.
Google Maps users have been able to create personalized maps for a while now by adding notes to various locations and saving the maps to "my maps." In case you had any illusions that this was private data, this is the pool of information Google is using to beef up its search results.
If you'd rather not share your favorite coffee shop with the whole world, just make sure not to set your personalized map to public.
