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Google Maps Q&A: How to Use and Get Rid of Them

Google Maps is probably the hardest application to do without when trying to “de-googlize” your life. It allows you to get your bearings, to find the best route, on foot or by car, to find public transport and their timetables, to look for a business and its opening and closing times, but also to read reviews on this or that place.

A feature added in 2017 is a little less known than the others: the question and answer system.

GoogleMapQuestions
When they are available, the questions and answers are just above the reviews… Be careful, they are public.

A system that can be used…

Because from the app, it is possible to ask questions about an establishment by opening its file. Some stores or restaurants may forgo this feature or add it from Google My Business. They also have the option to add questions and answer them in advance. You too can of course answer them in the Questions and Answers category, just before the reviews. If you can’t find it, that means the institution didn’t see fit to add it. Done Show all questions then Answer. It is possible to put a thumbs up if the information seems relevant to you. To ask a question yourself, just write it in the field Ask the community.

There’s no writing “La Poste”!

There is still a small detail that can annoy: notifications based on your position. Because if you have location activated on your smartphone, you may receive messages asking you to answer this or that question. It’s quite annoying, because you only have to stay long enough near the Le Roi du Couscous restaurant to be asked if they deliver and if you can pay with restaurant tickets. In short, this will have to be corrected.

Disable Q&A notifications

1/ An example…

Quietly waiting at the CAF du Rhône with a ticket numbered 956, I receive a notification on my device. “At the Rhône Family Allowance Fund? A user has a question. Can you answer it? »
Sure ! I’m here for that!

Google Maps Questions


2/ Sorry Madam, but I also have my problems

Of course it is a person in distress who goes directly to CAF. Her password no longer works and she wants to know how to send her documents. She must not have read that these questions were public and that everyone could read them… Being rather busy watching the numbers go by (it’s 12 that appears, it’s my turn soon), I decide to ignore it and make sure you don’t get bothered like that again.

Google Maps Questions


3/ Let’s live happily, live hidden

What you have to do is go to the departure notification and do Disable. Here you will be offered several options: activation/deactivation or Application only which allows you to have a silent notification that will not appear on the lock screen. If you cleared that initial notification, go to Google Maps, tap your avatar, and do Settings > Notifications > Questions/Answers and cat then Places you have visited. That’s it, no one will ask you anymore if you can bring your dog to the Sephora below your home.

Google Maps Questions

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