Not Google, but viral Baga-beach banner 'needs fixing'. Here's why
Recently, a picture went viral on social media that showed a banner in Goa asking people to stop searching the directions for Baga Beach on Google Maps. The picture was shared massively on many platforms with people asking Google to fix the glitch. However, Google responded in a witty manner saying it already has fixed the problem way back in '2017'. Here's what happened.
You are fooled by Google Maps, says the banner
Recently, the banner's picture was making rounds on the Internet saying, "You are fooled by Google Maps." The banner further informed that the road on which it stands doesn't lead to Baga Beach and provided the correct directions to travelers. It's presumed that the banner was put up by a local who got lost many times while searching for the beach through Google Maps.
Picture was taken and uploaded on Facebook in 2018
However, it turned out that the picture was clicked in 2018 by photographer Masud Pathan, who later uploaded it on Facebook. Twitter user Sumanth Raj Urs picked up the picture recently and shared it on the microblogging site. The picture went viral in no time and netizens couldn't stop posting satirical comments. One wrote, "After going to Goa, even Google is lost."
Looks like the banner needs fixing now, says Google
Soon after the picture got netizens talking, Google replied using a short and witty banter. Posting a picture of Google Maps, the Internet giant informed Sumanth that their engineers had already fixed and updated the information on Google Maps. In fact, it revealed the truth behind the banner saying, "We actually already fixed this in 2017. Looks like the banner needs fixing now."
Did Google just troll the troller?
Separately, Sumanth is enjoying the social media celebrity fame
Despite Google's response indicating that Sumanth posting the banner's picture a year later doesn't make sense anymore, the latter is enjoying the social media celebrity fame. He told media that he has been getting calls all day long. "I feel like the actress who winked and became famous overnight," he said, referring to the overnight fame of Malayalam actress Priya Prakash Varrier.
