An investigation has revealed that the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which is now a museum, has been a target of antisemitic content on Google Maps, and Google has failed to remove such comments.

More than 150 antisemitic comments have taken space on Google Maps website for the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.&nbsp;

Under the section of "Tell us what you loved about this place", people have left comments such as "Heil Hitler", "It’s a shame the SS was disbanded so long ago".&nbsp;

These comments have been on the website for months and some have even been there for years. For example, comments such as "Showers were a great experience, Anne Frankly I’m glad I came" and "Good place to go if you want to lose weight fast" have been there for four and nine years respectively.

Also watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/auschwitz-survivors-mark-anniversary-virtually-amid-pandemic-fears-359891">Auschwitz survivors mark anniversary virtually amid pandemic fears</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/auschwitz-survivors-mark-anniversary-virtually-amid-pandemic-fears-359891/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

While some users have posted anonymously, some are posing as Holocaust survivor Primo Levi, the Australian serial killer Ivan Milat, the SS commander Michael Wittmann and Adolf Hitler, and so on, to post antisemitic comments.

This observation was made through an investigation conducted by an international media house, The Guardian. The report also claims that even though the investigators tried flagging the comments through the feature of "flag as inappropriate", more than 153 comments stayed online for more than 24 hours.

The museum claims this has been a problem for a long time. "Our experience is that sadly, in many cases, different disturbing, antisemitic comments are often not removed after being reported as they ‘do not violate regulations’," Auschwitz Memorial’s spokesperson said.

All offending reports have been redirected to the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity offering advice and support to Jews experiencing antisemitism.&nbsp;

"It is sadly predictable that the listing for Auschwitz would attract antisemitic comments and Google ought to have systems in place to address this," a CST spokesperson said.

"Unfortunately [Google’s] failure to do so is yet another example of the need for effective regulation through the online harms bill. It is clear that the platforms’ existing policies are not doing the job."

Google has assured that proper action will be taken and the comments will be taken on priority while adding that the system will be evaluated to make sure such situations do not arise in future.

"We are appalled by these reviews on our platform and are taking action to remove the content and prevent further abuse," the Google spokesperson said. "We have clear policies that prohibit offensive and fake reviews and we work around the clock to monitor Maps. In this case, we know we need to do better and are working to evaluate and improve our detection systems."

An investigation has revealed that the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which is now a museum, has been a target of antisemitic content on Google Maps, and Google has failed to remove such comments.

An investigation has revealed that the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which is now a museum, has been a target of antisemitic content on Google Maps, and Google has failed to remove such comments. More than 150 antisemitic comments have taken space on Google Maps website for the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Under the section of "Tell us what you loved about this place", people have left comments such as "Heil Hitler", "It’s a shame the SS was disbanded so long ago". These comments have been on the website for months and some have even been there for years. For example, comments such as "Showers were a great experience, Anne Frankly I’m glad I came" and "Good place to go if you want to lose weight fast" have been there for four and nine years respectively. Also watch | Auschwitz survivors mark anniversary virtually amid pandemic fears While some users have posted anonymously, some are posing as Holocaust survivor Primo Levi, the Australian serial killer Ivan Milat, the SS commander Michael Wittmann and Adolf Hitler, and so on, to post antisemitic comments. This observation was made through an investigation conducted by an international media house, The Guardian. The report also claims that even though the investigators tried flagging the comments through the feature of "flag as inappropriate", more than 153 comments stayed online for more than 24 hours. The museum claims this has been a problem for a long time. "Our experience is that sadly, in many cases, different disturbing, antisemitic comments are often not removed after being reported as they ‘do not violate regulations’," Auschwitz Memorial’s spokesperson said. All offending reports have been redirected to the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity offering advice and support to Jews experiencing antisemitism. "It is sadly predictable that the listing for Auschwitz would attract antisemitic comments and Google ought to have systems in place to address this," a CST spokesperson said. "Unfortunately [Google’s] failure to do so is yet another example of the need for effective regulation through the online harms bill. It is clear that the platforms’ existing policies are not doing the job." Google has assured that proper action will be taken and the comments will be taken on priority while adding that the system will be evaluated to make sure such situations do not arise in future. "We are appalled by these reviews on our platform and are taking action to remove the content and prevent further abuse," the Google spokesperson said. "We have clear policies that prohibit offensive and fake reviews and we work around the clock to monitor Maps. In this case, we know we need to do better and are working to evaluate and improve our detection systems."

Antisemitic comments found on Google Maps for Auschwitz Memorial; Google apologises

A few days ago, a Russian driver froze to death when his car broke down on an infamous road between the&nbsp;Yakutsk and Magadan cities. Following that, Google Maps has decided to make sure such an incident never happens again.

After an 18-year-old boy and his friend had gone missing, the local police searched the cold areas for almost a week and later found him stuck in his car which was covered in snow as the temperature had climbed down to -50 Celsius.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/climate-change-is-making-winter-ice-more-dangerous-344406">Climate change is making winter ice more dangerous</a>

The two friends were found on an infamous&nbsp;Road of Bones, which the locals claim is a dangerous and abandoned road in the area. As the driver froze to death, his passenger was rushed to the hospital and treated for frostbite who later explained how they got stuck and the radiator of their car had malfunctioned.

Since this incident, Google Maps has decided to remove the path from its system to avoid any such future incidents, especially in the winters. The approximate time shown between the two cold cities was usually 31 hours. However, after re-routing to avoid the dubbed 'Road of Bones', the approximate time taken to commute between the two cities has increased to 34 hours, adding three hours to the travel time.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/she-stalked-her-daughters-killers-across-mexico-one-by-one-349491">She stalked her daughter’s killers across Mexico, one by one</a>

The decision has also been taken as the condition of the road becomes hazardous due to lack of snow clearing equipment and scarcity of traffic in the area during winters.

This incident has also given a boost to the debate of whether Google Maps can be trusted, or should Russians rely on the locally-based mapping service called&nbsp;Yandex. Many believe&nbsp;Yandex provides more local feed which enables locals to assess the risk and take reliable routes. Many locals took to social media platforms to complain about the lack of reliability in Google Maps.

However, some locals also argued for Google Maps claiming it might have been yet another case of teenagers trying their luck for the sake of extra risk and adventure.

A few days ago, a Russian driver froze to death when his car broke down on an infamous road between the Yakutsk and Magadan cities. Following that, Google Maps has decided to make sure such an incident never happens again.

A few days ago, a Russian driver froze to death when his car broke down on an infamous road between the Yakutsk and Magadan cities. Following that, Google Maps has decided to make sure such an incident never happens again. After an 18-year-old boy and his friend had gone missing, the local police searched the cold areas for almost a week and later found him stuck in his car which was covered in snow as the temperature had climbed down to -50 Celsius. Also read| Climate change is making winter ice more dangerous The two friends were found on an infamous Road of Bones, which the locals claim is a dangerous and abandoned road in the area. As the driver froze to death, his passenger was rushed to the hospital and treated for frostbite who later explained how they got stuck and the radiator of their car had malfunctioned. Since this incident, Google Maps has decided to remove the path from its system to avoid any such future incidents, especially in the winters. The approximate time shown between the two cold cities was usually 31 hours. However, after re-routing to avoid the dubbed 'Road of Bones', the approximate time taken to commute between the two cities has increased to 34 hours, adding three hours to the travel time. Also read| She stalked her daughter’s killers across Mexico, one by one The decision has also been taken as the condition of the road becomes hazardous due to lack of snow clearing equipment and scarcity of traffic in the area during winters. This incident has also given a boost to the debate of whether Google Maps can be trusted, or should Russians rely on the locally-based mapping service called Yandex. Many believe Yandex provides more local feed which enables locals to assess the risk and take reliable routes. Many locals took to social media platforms to complain about the lack of reliability in Google Maps. However, some locals also argued for Google Maps claiming it might have been yet another case of teenagers trying their luck for the sake of extra risk and adventure.

Google Maps removes 'Road of Bones' route after Russian driver freezes to death

To protect the privacy of an Australian&nbsp;indigenous group, Google has decided to remove images of Australia's Uluru from its Street View option.

Uluru is&nbsp;a sacred Aboriginal site and Google had&nbsp;user-contributed images of the site. However,&nbsp;Parks Australia had requested the tech giant to take down these images to respect the wishes of the&nbsp;Anangu people who are the traditional owners of the World Heritage site.

The&nbsp;Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been closed for tourists since Ocotober 2019 after the&nbsp;Anangu requested a closure to protect the sanctity of the site. Earlier, tourists used to climb the site despite resistance from the community.

Google was quick to agree to the request to show respect towards the community and their wishes. "We understand Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is deeply sacred to the Anangu people," a Google spokesperson said.

"As soon as Parks Australia raised their concerns about this user contribution, we removed the imagery," they said.

The site was handed back to the rightful owners earlier as it holds great spiritual and religious sigfor thnificance e community. It has also been established that the site has belonged to the community since tens of thousands of years ago.

The decision has been appreciated by the&nbsp;indigenous group.

To protect the privacy of an Australian indigenous group, Google has decided to remove images of Australia's Uluru from its Street View option. Uluru is a sacred Aboriginal site and Google had user-contributed images of the site.

To protect the privacy of an Australian indigenous group, Google has decided to remove images of Australia's Uluru from its Street View option. Uluru is a sacred Aboriginal site and Google had user-contributed images of the site. However, Parks Australia had requested the tech giant to take down these images to respect the wishes of the Anangu people who are the traditional owners of the World Heritage site. The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been closed for tourists since Ocotober 2019 after the Anangu requested a closure to protect the sanctity of the site. Earlier, tourists used to climb the site despite resistance from the community. Google was quick to agree to the request to show respect towards the community and their wishes. "We understand Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is deeply sacred to the Anangu people," a Google spokesperson said. "As soon as Parks Australia raised their concerns about this user contribution, we removed the imagery," they said. The site was handed back to the rightful owners earlier as it holds great spiritual and religious sigfor thnificance e community. It has also been established that the site has belonged to the community since tens of thousands of years ago. The decision has been appreciated by the indigenous group.

Google removes street view feature for Australia's Uluru

Google Maps has a good rating on the play store and it is considered to be one of the best navigational platforms available online. But a man in Tamil Nadu does not agree with it and was furious with the application. So angry that he has filed a complaint against the platform.&nbsp;

R Chandrasekhar, who comes from Mayiladuthurai in the Nagapattinam district, has accused the app to cause troubles in his marital life.&nbsp;

According to reports, Google Maps application on the 49-year-old's mobile showed places that Chandrasekhar has never been to prompting his wife to not trust him. His wife has started questioning about the whereabouts that has led him to emotional troubles and familial problems.

“For the last few months, my wife has been constantly scanning the 'Your timeline' feature on Google Maps and refuses to let me sleep, as she questions where I was. She is constantly thinking about this, is getting affected and affecting the rest of the family too," read the complaint by Chandrasekhar.&nbsp;

“Despite several talks, she is refusing to listen. She believes Google over anything else. Google is causing strife in my family life. So I ask you to take action against Google and ensure justice for me. I also ask that Google give me compensation for causing so much strife," he added.

Tamil Nadu police have not filed an FIR yet, in fact, have asked the couple to come for counselling.&nbsp;

Google Maps has a good rating on the play store and it is considered to be one of the best navigational platforms available online. But a man in Tamil Nadu does not agree with it and was furious with the application.

Google Maps has a good rating on the play store and it is considered to be one of the best navigational platforms available online. But a man in Tamil Nadu does not agree with it and was furious with the application. So angry that he has filed a complaint against the platform. R Chandrasekhar, who comes from Mayiladuthurai in the Nagapattinam district, has accused the app to cause troubles in his marital life. According to reports, Google Maps application on the 49-year-old's mobile showed places that Chandrasekhar has never been to prompting his wife to not trust him. His wife has started questioning about the whereabouts that has led him to emotional troubles and familial problems. “For the last few months, my wife has been constantly scanning the 'Your timeline' feature on Google Maps and refuses to let me sleep, as she questions where I was. She is constantly thinking about this, is getting affected and affecting the rest of the family too," read the complaint by Chandrasekhar. “Despite several talks, she is refusing to listen. She believes Google over anything else. Google is causing strife in my family life. So I ask you to take action against Google and ensure justice for me. I also ask that Google give me compensation for causing so much strife," he added. Tamil Nadu police have not filed an FIR yet, in fact, have asked the couple to come for counselling.

Tamil Nadu man files complaint against Google Maps, accuses it to cause trouble in his marital life

A man in Germany "hacked"&nbsp;the Google map site with a red cart filled with 99 smartphones causing a "virtual traffic jam"&nbsp;on the site.

The man, Simon Weckert, an artist, began the "Google Map Hack"&nbsp;project after noticing a traffic jam on a Berlin street where a demonstration was taking place a few years ago although there were no cars on the road.

He later realised it was not the people but a large number of smartphones in one place which the much-used Google maps had picked up.

In a series of tweets on Twitter, Weckart said, "99 smartphones are transported in a handcart to generate virtual traffic jam in Google Maps. Through this activity, it is possible to turn a green street red which has an impact in the physical world by navigating cars on another route!"

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99 smartphones are transported in a handcart to generate virtual traffic jam in Google Maps. Through this activity, it is possible to turn a green street red which has an impact in the physical world by navigating cars on another route! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/googlemapshacks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#googlemapshacks</a> <a href="https://t.co/3gixMxopE6">https://t.co/3gixMxopE6</a> <a href="https://t.co/6KcMm1XgAF">pic.twitter.com/6KcMm1XgAF</a>
— Simon Weckert (@simon_deliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/simon_deliver/status/1223569659645112320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Weckert who focuses his work on the digital world clearly exposed a large chink in the Google map which is used widely around the world.

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Oh by the way do you know that we all can celebrate Google Maps 15th birthday in one week ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/googlemapshacks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#googlemapshacks</a> "The map is not the territory ..... but another version of reality." (Korzybski 1933) <a href="https://t.co/Th0AwqLr9h">pic.twitter.com/Th0AwqLr9h</a>
— Simon Weckert (@simon_deliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/simon_deliver/status/1224104227678625794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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After his work and the story went viral, a Google spokesman said: "Traffic data in Google Maps is refreshed continuously thanks to information from a variety of sources, including aggregated anonymized data from people who have location services turned on and contributions from the Google Maps community."&nbsp;

"We’ve launched the ability to distinguish between cars and motorcycles in several countries including India, Indonesia and Egypt, though we haven’t quite cracked travelling by wagon. We appreciate seeing creative uses of Google Maps like this as it helps us make maps work better over time," it added.

Weckert used a simple technique to hack into Google's map, he would walk up and down the street with his cart stuffed with phones and after about an hour the Google map would show a red line on the map indicating that heavy traffic had slowed down cars on the road.

A man in Germany "hacked" the Google map site with a red cart filled with 99 smartphones causing a "virtual traffic jam" on the site. The man, Simon Weckert, an artist, began the "Google Map Hack" project after noticing a traffic jam on a Berlin street where a demonstration was taking place a few years ago although there were no cars on the road.

A man in Germany "hacked" the Google map site with a red cart filled with 99 smartphones causing a "virtual traffic jam" on the site. The man, Simon Weckert, an artist, began the "Google Map Hack" project after noticing a traffic jam on a Berlin street where a demonstration was taking place a few years ago although there were no cars on the road. He later realised it was not the people but a large number of smartphones in one place which the much-used Google maps had picked up. In a series of tweets on Twitter, Weckart said, "99 smartphones are transported in a handcart to generate virtual traffic jam in Google Maps. Through this activity, it is possible to turn a green street red which has an impact in the physical world by navigating cars on another route!" 99 smartphones are transported in a handcart to generate virtual traffic jam in Google Maps. Through this activity, it is possible to turn a green street red which has an impact in the physical world by navigating cars on another route! #googlemapshacks https://t.co/3gixMxopE6 pic.twitter.com/6KcMm1XgAF — Simon Weckert (@simon_deliver) February 1, 2020 × Weckert who focuses his work on the digital world clearly exposed a large chink in the Google map which is used widely around the world. Oh by the way do you know that we all can celebrate Google Maps 15th birthday in one week ? #googlemapshacks "The map is not the territory ..... but another version of reality." (Korzybski 1933) pic.twitter.com/Th0AwqLr9h — Simon Weckert (@simon_deliver) February 2, 2020 × After his work and the story went viral, a Google spokesman said: "Traffic data in Google Maps is refreshed continuously thanks to information from a variety of sources, including aggregated anonymized data from people who have location services turned on and contributions from the Google Maps community." "We’ve launched the ability to distinguish between cars and motorcycles in several countries including India, Indonesia and Egypt, though we haven’t quite cracked travelling by wagon. We appreciate seeing creative uses of Google Maps like this as it helps us make maps work better over time," it added. Weckert used a simple technique to hack into Google's map, he would walk up and down the street with his cart stuffed with phones and after about an hour the Google map would show a red line on the map indicating that heavy traffic had slowed down cars on the road.

How a man 'hacked' Google maps to show 'virtual traffic jams' with 99 mobile phones and a red cart

&nbsp;Alphabet Inc's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-wins-right-to-be-forgotten-case-against-frances-privacy-watchdog-251737">Google</a> is rolling out new privacy features to its Maps, YouTube and Voice Assistant services, with options including incognito mode and automatic data deletion, the company said on Wednesday.

Google has raced to launch a slew of privacy-related features like the search giant and social media companies face heat from users and regulators globally on how their platforms handle user data.

The incognito mode on Google Maps will stop saving maps activity to users' accounts, including the places they search for, though it would take away their personalized recommendations.

Google also launched Password Checkup, a new feature that tells users whether their accounts have been compromised or if any of their passwords are weak.

The company said it will also expand its auto-delete option to YouTube, letting users to set a time period after which their viewing history data will be automatically erased.

In the coming weeks, Google will also roll out an option to delete voice assistant activity by verbal command: "Hey Google, delete the last thing I said to you."

Alphabet Inc's Google is rolling out new privacy features to its Maps, YouTube and Voice Assistant services, with options including incognito mode and automatic data deletion, the company said on Wednesday.

Alphabet Inc's Google is rolling out new privacy features to its Maps, YouTube and Voice Assistant services, with options including incognito mode and automatic data deletion, the company said on Wednesday. Google has raced to launch a slew of privacy-related features like the search giant and social media companies face heat from users and regulators globally on how their platforms handle user data. The incognito mode on Google Maps will stop saving maps activity to users' accounts, including the places they search for, though it would take away their personalized recommendations. Google also launched Password Checkup, a new feature that tells users whether their accounts have been compromised or if any of their passwords are weak. The company said it will also expand its auto-delete option to YouTube, letting users to set a time period after which their viewing history data will be automatically erased. In the coming weeks, Google will also roll out an option to delete voice assistant activity by verbal command: "Hey Google, delete the last thing I said to you."

Google offers incognito mode for Maps in privacy push

The brand new feature was unveiled yesterday at a Google event in New Delhi. According to Suren Ruhela, Director, Google Maps Next Billion User, the number of people using Google Maps in the country has doubled in the past couple of years. &nbsp;

According to reports, the new feature aims to make address search, navigation easy on Maps. Google is also adding voice navigation search in six additional Indian languages &mdash; Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam &mdash; on the Android app. Voice navigation was introduced in Hindi close to three years back.&nbsp;

The event saw the launch of Plus Codes -- an open source solution that represents a simple and consistent addressing system. The feature lets a user zero in on an area based on the Plus Code provided by a user.&nbsp;

&quot;Any location in the world can be uniquely described by a six character code and if you can add to it the name of the city then it becomes very easy to understand and share,&quot; Ruhela noted. &nbsp;

An &#39;Add Address&#39; feature was also introduced which is aimed at facilitating easy searching on maps.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

An 'Add Address' feature was also introduced which is aimed at facilitating easy searching on maps

The brand new feature was unveiled yesterday at a Google event in New Delhi. According to Suren Ruhela, Director, Google Maps Next Billion User, the number of people using Google Maps in the country has doubled in the past couple of years. According to reports, the new feature aims to make address search, navigation easy on Maps. Google is also adding voice navigation search in six additional Indian languages — Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam — on the Android app. Voice navigation was introduced in Hindi close to three years back. The event saw the launch of Plus Codes -- an open source solution that represents a simple and consistent addressing system. The feature lets a user zero in on an area based on the Plus Code provided by a user. "Any location in the world can be uniquely described by a six character code and if you can add to it the name of the city then it becomes very easy to understand and share," Ruhela noted. An 'Add Address' feature was also introduced which is aimed at facilitating easy searching on maps.

Google Maps brings 'Plus Codes' to India

A new feature of voice assistance for the navigation of two-wheelers was introduced in India by Google in its maps application on December 5, 2017. India, being the largest two-wheeler market, is the first country to have this feature.&nbsp;

The feature will suggest shortcuts to users which are normally not shown because of being inaccessible by cars and larger vehicles. Traffic conditions and estimated arrival time (ETA) will be adjusted according to the maneuverability of two-wheelers.&nbsp;

Caesar Sengupta, Vice President, Next Billion Users Team at Google said, &quot;The India-first feature is the new &#39;two-wheeler mode&#39; in Google Maps. India is the largest two-wheeler market in the world, and the millions of motorcycle and scooter riders have different navigation needs than drivers of automobiles.&quot;

Sengupta further added that the two-wheeler mode will show and announce major landmarks on the route as many Indians rely on local landmarks for navigation. It will help riders to focus on the&nbsp;road with the help of voice instructions instead of checking their phones to keep a track of their journey, repeatedly.

The feature will appear in Google Maps alongside Walk, Drive, Train, and Bus modes. Plans are there to introduce this feature to other two-wheelers dominated countries as well.

Google has introduced 'two-wheelers' mode on Google Maps to help bikers navigate in an easier manner in India. With voice assistance, major landmarks' markings, and shortcut routes, the new travel mode is first in the world.

A new feature of voice assistance for the navigation of two-wheelers was introduced in India by Google in its maps application on December 5, 2017. India, being the largest two-wheeler market, is the first country to have this feature. The feature will suggest shortcuts to users which are normally not shown because of being inaccessible by cars and larger vehicles. Traffic conditions and estimated arrival time (ETA) will be adjusted according to the maneuverability of two-wheelers. Caesar Sengupta, Vice President, Next Billion Users Team at Google said, "The India-first feature is the new 'two-wheeler mode' in Google Maps. India is the largest two-wheeler market in the world, and the millions of motorcycle and scooter riders have different navigation needs than drivers of automobiles." Sengupta further added that the two-wheeler mode will show and announce major landmarks on the route as many Indians rely on local landmarks for navigation. It will help riders to focus on the road with the help of voice instructions instead of checking their phones to keep a track of their journey, repeatedly. The feature will appear in Google Maps alongside Walk, Drive, Train, and Bus modes. Plans are there to introduce this feature to other two-wheelers dominated countries as well.

Google Maps adds navigation mode for two-wheelers in India

Facebook has added a feature to its Messenger app that allows users to share their locations continuously for up to an hour, ramping up competition with tools offered by Apple and Alphabet&#39;s Google Maps.

The company has found that one of the most-used phrases on Messenger as people talk to friends and family is &quot;How far away are you?&quot; or some variation, Stan Chudnovsky, head of product for Messenger, said in an interview.

&quot;It happens to be what people are saying, what they&#39;re interested in the most,&quot; he said.

Sharing location information is optional, but it can also be live, so that once a user shares the information with a friend, the friend can watch the user&#39;s movement for up to 60 minutes.

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Messenger was once part of the core Facebook smartphone app, but the company broke it out as a separate app in 2014 and has since invested in frequent changes to build a service distinct from the massive social network.

Google Maps said last week that it was adding a similar live feature, an attempt to boost engagement on a product of increasing strategic importance to that company.

The close proximity of the announcements tells Facebook &quot;that we&#39;re working on the right things,&quot; Chudnovsky said. The Messages app on Apple&#39;s iPhone has such a feature, too.

Facebook has been testing its change in Mexico, he said. It was ready as long ago as October, he added, but the company worked on it for five more months to minimize the impact on the battery life of phones.

Facebook sees the feature being used for convenience to coordinate with friends, for safety-related purposes or for other uses, Chudnovsky said. &quot;There are all sorts of products that you can imagine you could build on top of that,&quot; he said.

The update is being made available globally, the company said.

(Reuters)

Users will be able to see where you are on a map for the next 60 minutes

Facebook has added a feature to its Messenger app that allows users to share their locations continuously for up to an hour, ramping up competition with tools offered by Apple and Alphabet's Google Maps. The company has found that one of the most-used phrases on Messenger as people talk to friends and family is "How far away are you?" or some variation, Stan Chudnovsky, head of product for Messenger, said in an interview. "It happens to be what people are saying, what they're interested in the most," he said. Sharing location information is optional, but it can also be live, so that once a user shares the information with a friend, the friend can watch the user's movement for up to 60 minutes. Messenger was once part of the core Facebook smartphone app, but the company broke it out as a separate app in 2014 and has since invested in frequent changes to build a service distinct from the massive social network. Google Maps said last week that it was adding a similar live feature, an attempt to boost engagement on a product of increasing strategic importance to that company. The close proximity of the announcements tells Facebook "that we're working on the right things," Chudnovsky said. The Messages app on Apple's iPhone has such a feature, too. Facebook has been testing its change in Mexico, he said. It was ready as long ago as October, he added, but the company worked on it for five more months to minimize the impact on the battery life of phones. Facebook sees the feature being used for convenience to coordinate with friends, for safety-related purposes or for other uses, Chudnovsky said. "There are all sorts of products that you can imagine you could build on top of that," he said. The update is being made available globally, the company said. (Reuters)

Facebook adds real-time location sharing to Messenger

Alphabet&#39;s Google announced that it will revamp its popular maps app to allow users to share their locations, in order to boost engagement on a product of increasing strategic importance to the search giant.

Within the next week, users worldwide will be able to share where they are in real time on devices running both Google&rsquo;s Android operating system and Apple&rsquo;s iOS software, Google said. The feature is part of an array of new tools aimed at boosting the effectiveness of Google Maps, which analysts say is critical to the company&rsquo;s ambitions in commerce and transport.

The location-sharing feature is aimed at helping people find each other in crowded places, such as concerts and conferences, and users will retain control over who they share their whereabouts with and for how long, said Google executive Jen Fitzpatrick, who leads Google Maps.

&ldquo;That coordination in that sort of last-mile moment winds up being sometimes more complicated than you might think,&rdquo; she told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday.

Location-sharing features have sparked alarm among privacy advocates in the past. To address those concerns, Google will remind users both in the app and via email of whom they are sharing their location with. While the recipient of a user&rsquo;s location could pass that link onto a third party, Google will advise people to use the feature only with those they trust, said Ben Greenwood, a product manager for Google Maps.

&ldquo;This is not a new concept,&rdquo; Fitzpatrick said of location-sharing. &ldquo;This is about making it simple, accessible and giving users a lot of control and privacy.&rdquo;

In the coming weeks, Google will also roll out mapping features aimed at helping users find parking and remember where they parked their cars, Fitzpatrick said. Ride-hailing services have also become an important aspect of the app, and Google Maps will have partnerships with 14 companies in 70 countries by the end of the week, she said.

Mapping has become a key contributor to Google&rsquo;s advertising juggernaut, said analyst Bob O&rsquo;Donnell of TECHnalysis Research, and the tech giant cannot afford to let the app languish.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an absolutely essential service for them to drive more growth in all of their key revenue-generating businesses,&rdquo; he said.

(Reuters)

The location-sharing feature is aimed at helping people find each other in crowded places

Alphabet's Google announced that it will revamp its popular maps app to allow users to share their locations, in order to boost engagement on a product of increasing strategic importance to the search giant. Within the next week, users worldwide will be able to share where they are in real time on devices running both Google’s Android operating system and Apple’s iOS software, Google said. The feature is part of an array of new tools aimed at boosting the effectiveness of Google Maps, which analysts say is critical to the company’s ambitions in commerce and transport. The location-sharing feature is aimed at helping people find each other in crowded places, such as concerts and conferences, and users will retain control over who they share their whereabouts with and for how long, said Google executive Jen Fitzpatrick, who leads Google Maps. “That coordination in that sort of last-mile moment winds up being sometimes more complicated than you might think,” she told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday. Location-sharing features have sparked alarm among privacy advocates in the past. To address those concerns, Google will remind users both in the app and via email of whom they are sharing their location with. While the recipient of a user’s location could pass that link onto a third party, Google will advise people to use the feature only with those they trust, said Ben Greenwood, a product manager for Google Maps. “This is not a new concept,” Fitzpatrick said of location-sharing. “This is about making it simple, accessible and giving users a lot of control and privacy.” In the coming weeks, Google will also roll out mapping features aimed at helping users find parking and remember where they parked their cars, Fitzpatrick said. Ride-hailing services have also become an important aspect of the app, and Google Maps will have partnerships with 14 companies in 70 countries by the end of the week, she said. Mapping has become a key contributor to Google’s advertising juggernaut, said analyst Bob O’Donnell of TECHnalysis Research, and the tech giant cannot afford to let the app languish. “It’s an absolutely essential service for them to drive more growth in all of their key revenue-generating businesses,” he said. (Reuters)

Google Maps will soon allow users to share their real-time locations

Google India has rolled out the Transit feature on Google Maps in seven more Indian cities including Chandigarh, Lucknow, Vadodara, Indore, Mysore, Surat and Coimbatore.

With the new update, the Transit feature is now available in sixteen Indian cities - the seven newly added cities as well as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad.

&ldquo;The new feature will help users better plan their commute around the city, and make it easier to get an overview of public transportation around them,&rdquo; says Google. 
&nbsp; 
Google Transit is a feature on Google Maps, which lets people plan their commute with only a couple of taps. For instance, if you&rsquo;re going to Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, just search for Sukhna Lake and Google Maps will show you how to get there from your current location. It will show you bus routes and stops, including details such as departure and arrival times, the names of bus stands, and even where to change buses. 
&nbsp; 
Google Transit is not only available on Google Maps for Android and iOS, but is also available for the web.

(WION)

&nbsp;

Google Transit is not only available on Google Maps for Android and iOS, but is also available for the web.

Google India has rolled out the Transit feature on Google Maps in seven more Indian cities including Chandigarh, Lucknow, Vadodara, Indore, Mysore, Surat and Coimbatore. With the new update, the Transit feature is now available in sixteen Indian cities - the seven newly added cities as well as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad. “The new feature will help users better plan their commute around the city, and make it easier to get an overview of public transportation around them,” says Google. Google Transit is a feature on Google Maps, which lets people plan their commute with only a couple of taps. For instance, if you’re going to Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, just search for Sukhna Lake and Google Maps will show you how to get there from your current location. It will show you bus routes and stops, including details such as departure and arrival times, the names of bus stands, and even where to change buses. Google Transit is not only available on Google Maps for Android and iOS, but is also available for the web. (WION)

Google Maps' Transit feature now available in 16 Indian cities

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