Read more at source.
Read more at source.
Residents of the West Bank have long complained about the lack of accurate and up-to-date information on Google Maps. The situation has worsened since the start of the Gaza war, with increased checkpoints and road restrictions. This has led to users spending significant time and effort trying to navigate through the region, often leading to frustration and potentially dangerous encounters.
While some of the navigation issues in the West Bank are due to factors beyond Google's control, users believe that the tech giant could be doing more to improve the app. There have been calls for Google to update its data and make the app safer and more reliable for Palestinians. Internally, Google employees have been advocating for such improvements.
In response to these concerns, Google has launched updates aimed at improving the accuracy of the map in the West Bank. The company has added about 5,000 miles of roads in the West Bank and Gaza since 2021 and is reaching out to organizations and data suppliers in the region to update road, street name, and place information. Despite these efforts, however, some users believe that more needs to be done to make the app truly reliable and safe for Palestinians.
Any claims of Google Maps showing bias in this region are false. We've updated thousands of roads, street names, place names, and postal codes in the West Bank and Gaza—and are constantly working to get accurate data to help us map this highly complex area - Google spokesperson Caroline Bourdeau
