Back in 2018 (2019 if you are on iOS), Google introduced a "Follow" button for its Maps service. The way it worked was simple: users could follow businesses to get updates about events and special offers in their "For You" tab.
This set the ground for what came next in 2020, the social and community-oriented feature that allowed users to follow individuals. A person"s public activity, like their reviews, photos, and videos, would then appear in your feed. Now Google has announced that it is killing the individual follower system starting this September.
The company says that "all data" related to your followers and who you follow will be deleted from its servers. The change will not affect your profile"s visibility settings, but since followers will no longer exist, you will not have to approve requests for your restricted profile anymore. For some, this is probably a relief, as the feature was often a magnet for spam bots.
As for the ability to follow businesses, that feature was killed back in January. The writing had been on the wall for a while, as Google had already made the "Follow" button much less prominent on business listings.
For those who loved the ability to follow individuals, Google is pointing people toward Local Guides Connect. It is an online forum where a Local Guide can earn points by writing reviews, adding photos, or correcting map information. This platform allows for more direct interaction within the community, something the follower feature never quite delivered. You can also still create and share lists of places.
On a related note, the company recently expanded its partnership with Rivian for its electric trucks and SUVs. Rivian is replacing the old navigation system, which was built on top of Mapbox, with a new one powered by the Google Maps Auto SDK. This gives drivers access to Google"s real-time traffic data and superior search for points of interest.