Can I Stop People From Adding Images to My Google My Business (GMB) Listing?
Posted by Yan Gilbert
In most scenarios, businesses cannot block people from uploading photos to your GMB listing via the “upload to public” feature. The one exception to this is if the business is getting slammed with tons of inappropriate photos from users due to a public media incident. For example, the stone supplier referenced in this article had the ability to add a photo disabled after users uploaded tons of statues of genitalia after the social media scandal.
If a public user has uploaded an image you would like it removed from your listing, and it also breaks a Google guideline, you will need to flag it to have removed.
If flagging the pictures was unsuccessful after a few days then you can contact GMB support directly using this form.
Yan has been creating websites since 2008 and now enjoys helping others grow their businesses through SEO. Initially a freelance Toronto based local SEO consultant, he was recruited to join the team at SterlingSky.
He is certified in many digital marketing products including Google Analytics, Google Mobile sites and Inbound Marketing through Hubspot Academy. Armed with a psychology degree from McGill University, Yan is adept at finding ways to help businesses achieve great ROI from their marketing efforts.
When not at the computer, you will most likely find him in his garden, or building something in his workshop.
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He is certified in many digital marketing products including Google Analytics, Google Mobile sites and Inbound Marketing through Hubspot Academy. Armed with a psychology degree from McGill University, Yan is adept at finding ways to help businesses achieve great ROI from their marketing efforts.
When not at the computer, you will most likely find him in his garden, or building something in his workshop.
See all of Yan's Articles Follow Yan on Twitter Follow Yan on LinkedIn
Latest posts by Yan Gilbert (see all)
- Can I Turn Off Google My Business (GMB) Reviews? - January 5, 2021
- Can I Stop People From Adding Images to My Google My Business (GMB) Listing? - December 14, 2020
- Can I turn off the Question and Answer (Q&A) section in Google My Business? - November 19, 2019
Sadly, this was short lived and the listing is being trashed again with nonsense photos, negative reviews and Q&A’s again. Google appears unable to protect businesses and its platforms from being trashed.
Jason, that is sad and frustrating. What is one’s recourse in this circumstance?
A customer of mine had the same question, weird Google would allow this actually.
I think it is right to feature as the customers have the ability to display their experience there but if inappropriate images upload there, flagging is the useful option.
Hi… this isn’t quite on topic, but you might have an answer for me.
Can I use the photos that customers post to my GMB account on my website? This is for a restaurant and people post great photos! On Instagram, I can message them and ask for permission to post on our fan page, but can’t do this with Google people.
No one has ever said no, and I’m wondering since they posted to my GMB, do I have the right to use the photos?
Thanks!
It looks like the rights are the customers’ so you’d have to get permission from them to use it. From their terms of service:
https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en-US#toc-permission
“Your content remains yours, which means that you retain any intellectual property rights that you have in your content. For example, you have intellectual property rights in the creative content you make, such as reviews you write. Or you may have the right to share someone else’s creative content if they’ve given you their permission.
We need your permission if your intellectual property rights restrict our use of your content. You provide Google with that permission through this license.”
So users are giving Google permission to use it, but not you.