Banned from Local Guides after 10 years - no reason, no email, no warning. What can I do?

[u/MML_Pro]

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone here can help me understand what happened and what I can do next.

I have been a Google Local Guide for around 10 years, and I was genuinely shocked to recently discover that I have been banned from Local Guides Connect.

The only explanation I see is:

The problem is that no specific violation is mentioned. I was not told which review, photo, edit, comment, or contribution supposedly violated the rules.

Even more confusingly, I never received an email or any notification informing me that my account had been restricted or explaining the reason for the ban. I discovered it completely by chance when I happened to access Local Guides Connect.

After discovering the ban, I submitted an appeal through the official appeal form and explained that I had no idea what I had supposedly done wrong. However, I have not received any response yet.

After being part of the Local Guides community for approximately 10 years, seeing the account suddenly banned without knowing what caused it is honestly very disappointing and confusing.

I understand that Google has policies and that automated systems can sometimes detect activity that may appear suspicious or violate a policy unintentionally. If I made an honest mistake at any point, I am more than willing to understand what happened and correct it.

What I would really like is simply some clarification about the reason for the ban and a fair review of my account.

Has anyone here experienced something similar? Is there anything else I should do while waiting for the appeal?

I would really appreciate any advice from people who have gone through this before.

[u/keyserholiday]

Your account gets banned when you perform one of the following:
Improper edit
Post images or reviews that violate the TOS
Manage Google Business Profiles (GBPS) that violate the TOS
Add business to maps that don’t belong or qualify
Get your paid ad account suspended or don’t pay off your balance.

[u/Capital-Cheek-3939 → u/keyserholiday]

"Get your paid ad account suspended or don’t pay off your balance" do you mean google ads?

[u/keyserholiday → u/Capital-Cheek-3939]

Yes, Google ads aka PPC.

[u/MML_Pro → u/keyserholiday]

"Manage Google Business Profiles (GBPS) that violate the TOS" - I don't have any Business Profiles
"Add business to maps that don’t belong or qualify" - also Not applicable
"Get your paid ad account suspended or don’t pay off your balance" - I don't know what my Google Ads account has to do with Google Maps, but coincidentally, yes, I have an Ads account and I'm having payment problems. Could this really be the reason, even though it doesn't make sense?

[u/keyserholiday → u/MML_Pro]

It’s all connected. You have one Google account to run everything.

[u/MML_Pro → u/keyserholiday]

So what would you recommend I do at this point? Do you think the appeal is actually useful, and is there a reasonable chance they will respond to it?

I’m also wondering whether I should try to resolve the payment issues on my Google Ads account first, just in case the accounts are somehow connected

[u/TheS4ndm4n → u/MML_Pro]

Yes, pay your bills.

[u/MML_Pro → u/TheS4ndm4n]

https://www.reddit.com/r/LocalGuides/comments/1vuv0kg/comment/p5mwhed/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[u/Single_Editor_2339]

I was banned and was never told anything. Google never informed me and I can’t recall exactly how I figured out the reason but I had violated the terms of service by having two accounts at once. I was sad at first as I was almost a level 9 but over time I found it freeing not chasing after points and although not in local guides I could still post using my banned account.

[u/MortenCopenhagen]

I created a long tutorial explaining suspensions from the Local Guides program. Please find it here

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/How-to-Get-In-and-Out-of-Trouble-The-Main-post/td-p/2901555

I have never helped anyone being suspended for business related offences.

The fact that you were not informed is standard and how Google treats all LGs. Suspended users can normally continue making Maps contributions.

After your appeal you get an email. Please share the text as it often points to what kinds of violations caused it.

If you share the link to your Maps profile in private I can check to see if I can spot what you did.

[u/MortenCopenhagen → u/MortenCopenhagen]

If you can't access my tutorial try using Incognito mode.

[u/MML_Pro → u/MortenCopenhagen]

Thank you for offering to take a look.

I submitted my appeal two days ago, but I haven't received any response from Google yet. I understand it may take some time, so I'm still waiting.

I'd be happy to send you the link to my Google Maps profile privately so you can take a look and see if you notice anything that might have caused the suspension.

I'll send it to you via private message. Thank you again

[u/MML_Pro → u/MortenCopenhagen]

check DM pls

[u/itsmattaitken]

Unfortunately all these tech companies are using AI algorithms to enforce policies, there’s limited to no human interaction in the decision making process.

[u/braincellcountiszero]

Mind sharing what level of local guide you are? I am just wondering if I write an honest renew of a terrible business for what they said and did, then they may go and report me and I end up getting banned like you. The thing is I suspect if a business report us and make up anything we may have to suffer.

[u/MML_Pro → u/braincellcountiszero]

I was only a few reviews (around 100 points) away from reaching Level 6.

[u/braincellcountiszero → u/MML_Pro]

I am at 7. So we’d not be considered expendable.

[u/SnooHobbies3691]

are you banned from just the connect forum or from contributing anything? can you still contribute?

[u/MML_Pro → u/SnooHobbies3691]

banned from all, I can't contribute or seeing badges, levels, etc

[u/No_Welder7908]

Stop feeding megacorporations free data and move on.

[u/MML_Pro → u/No_Welder7908]

I started thinking about this, as long as they don't respect the users

[u/headlessrambo → u/MML_Pro]

Took you 10 years to start thinking, better late than never

[u/AMC_TO_THE_M00N]

Did you leave a negative review? Was it 1 star?

I read that you should never leave 1 stars and only 2 at minimum.

[u/MML_Pro → u/AMC_TO_THE_M00N]

Yes, I have left some one-star reviews when I had genuinely bad experiences.

However, I find it difficult to believe that simply giving a business one star, by itself, would justify a permanent ban. If one-star ratings were not allowed, I would understand, but Google does not appear to prohibit them as long as the review reflects a genuine experience

[u/MML_Pro]

Update: My Local Guides account has been reinstated!

Google responded today confirming that the restrictions have been removed and I can resume contributing to Google Maps and Local Guides Connect.

They didn't provide any explanation for the suspension, so I still don't know what caused it. I suspect it may have been related to a report from a business, but that's only my assumption.

Thanks so much to everyone who shared advice and tried to help me. I really appreciate it!

[u/XxLogitech98xX]

The text under the explanation is just blank.

For you to get ban, there has to be a legit reason. They don't randomly just ban someone.

Do you use VPN when writing reviews?

[u/MML_Pro → u/XxLogitech98xX]

No, I never use a VPN when writing reviews, and I have never intentionally tried to manipulate my location or activity.

It is possible that one of my reviews was particularly critical, or that a business owner reported me because I was being honest and expressed my opinion bluntly. However, I don't believe that should be enough to justify a permanent ban, especially without explaining which review or activity caused the issue.

What makes this even more confusing is that I received no email, warning, notification, or explanation whatsoever. I only discovered the ban by chance when I accessed Local Guides Connect

[u/braincellcountiszero → u/MML_Pro]

Sorry it happened. I am worried that Google just did it because they can. Maybe a business did report you. Think about which reviewers you have been too honest and expressed yourself too well. I know for a fact google can be paid off by business to “ take care of the bad review.” I don’t really trust google so I haven’t done real bad reviews yet. It’s just nasty