ReferenceBusiness Profile suspension
Impersonation
Google's contribution policy says Google Maps must not be used to impersonate any person, group or organization. That covers content posted or shared to impersonate someone, and content that pretends to be a verified authoritative source. An alternative name is allowed when it does not try to mislead people. Check the name, photos and posts for any claim to be another business, a brand or an official body.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- On the profile, in its name, photos and posts.
- What stops
- The profile or its content may be restricted, depending on the outcome.
- How serious
- Google's closing note says its actions range from suspending account privileges to account termination.
What it means
This is the Google Maps contribution policy. It covers what people post on a profile as well as what the owner writes. Its examples are content that seeks to impersonate a person, group or organization, and content that pretends to be a verified authoritative source.
An alternative name is permitted, so a business is not barred from a name that differs from its legal name. The line is whether the name or content tries to mislead.
What actually triggers it
A name that claims another business or brand
A profile name or description that makes the listing look like a different business, a brand the business is not part of, or an official body.
Photos or posts that imply a verified source
Posts or images that present the business as a verified or authoritative source it is not. The policy names content pretending to be a verified authoritative source.
Fix it in this order
- Read the name, description, photos and posts for any claim to be another business, a brand, or an official or verified source.
- Remove or reword any claim that the business is part of, approved by, or the same as another entity, unless it is true and can be shown.
- Keep an alternative name only if it does not try to mislead customers, which is the test the policy sets.
Often confused with
Impersonation is about who the content says it is. Misrepresentation is about what the listing says about the business's goods, services or results. A listing can have one, the other, or both.