If you’re hosting an event and want random strangers to chance upon it, Google Maps could make all the difference. But Google hasn’t trusted members of the public to make their own events in Maps, until now.
As spotted by Android Police, Google has added a new bit of documentation on the Maps help site, which guides you through the process of creating your own event for anyone in the area to see.
Related: Best Android phones
It’s pretty simple to do – just a case of going to the Contribute tab and creating a public gathering. From there, you can add descriptions, pictures and web links.
But despite Google publicly revealing the feature, it seems to be having a limited roll out. Google notes that the “feature might not be available in some regions” and I couldn’t see the option to make my own event in South London, much to my neighbours’ delight.
Related: Best Android apps
On top of this, it seems to be having a few growing pains. Android Police did have some success setting up an event, but they couldn’t add pictures and the event took around an hour to show up on the map – which could be a bit of an issue if you’re on a tight schedule.
All the same, it seems like a good idea for a feature, though does offer the potential for abuse and targeted harassment. On the flip side, you could imagine it being used quite effectively by some, and being a useful guide for people in general. If you were heading to central London on Saturday, and weren’t aware that a million people were marching, for example, it would certainly be handy for Maps to give you a bit of advanced warning.
Does public events work for you? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
