Google Maps is one of the most used systems for guided navigation and geolocation, the company Google creating a platform that hundreds of millions of people use monthly all over the world. Google Maps is a free platform, but those from Google sell advertising through it, and in some cases these ads can create dangerous situations, as happened to a user from the US who needed to get to a nearby hospital.
Google Maps was used by the user to find the nearest urgent care unit, but the first result displayed by the platform was an advertisement directing him to a hospital further away than the next option. In the image below, option A displayed by Google Maps is an advertisement, but option B is a result that is not promoted, but which is 15 minutes closer to the user than the promoted option.
Google Maps: DANGEROUS problem on iPhone and Android
Google Maps displays ads for a variety of location searches, but in cases like this, when people are in a rush to get to the hospital in an emergency, they might overlook the fact that they could choose an ad. Moreover, in a situation like this, a difference of 15 minutes between the distance from the house and the hospital can have serious consequences on the person's health, and all because Google Maps does not know when it should not display ads.
"This ad in "emergency room near me" is way further than the second option. In a panic, you might hit directions for option A and end up spending an extra 15 minutes on the road."
Google Maps is an extremely useful service for many people, but it must be used with great care in emergency situations, and this is because problems with serious effects can occur. Google Maps still marks advertisements with an indicator next to them, even if it is quite small, but on the map, they are visible with a green button, which should make it clear that it is an advertisement, and not about a real result.
