Why Google Maps fails to work in West Bank
Google Maps, the world's most popular navigation app, is creating problems for users in the West Bank, as per WIRED. The app has been slammed for not having updated information and accurate data on road restrictions and street regulations. The issue came to light when Diana Buttu, a human rights lawyer and former legal advisor to Palestinian government officials, got stuck in traffic for nine hours after following wrong directions given by Google Maps.
User experiences and safety concerns
Several users have reported that Google Maps frequently leads them into traffic jams, walls, or onto restricted roads where they could encounter potentially dangerous run-ins with Israeli authorities. These problems have forced Palestinians to crowdsource information about road conditions on social media platforms. Some of these challenges are attributed to factors beyond Google's control such as increased checkpoints during wartime and Israel's interference with GPS readings in the area.
Internal advocacy for improvements
Within Google, a number of employees have been pushing for changes to Google Maps that would help Palestinians. This comes from three current and ex-staffers involved in the advocacy or on the maps product team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. One current worker claims that users in the West Bank have mostly ditched Google Maps for navigation over these issues.
Response to navigation issues
Responding to the concerns, Google spokesperson Caroline Bourdeau said that traffic jams due to checkpoints are taken into account in Google's routing and estimated time of arrival calculations. She also denied any bias in the region, saying they have updated thousands of roads, place names, street names, and postal codes in the West Bank and Gaza. Bourdeau said Google Maps remains neutral on geopolitical issues and mapping the West Bank is complex as conditions on the ground change constantly.
Google's efforts to update West Bank data
Bourdeau revealed that Google is reaching out to organizations and data suppliers in the area to update roads, street names, and place information in West Bank. She also mentioned a recent update launched by Google Maps to help users easily look up West Bank addresses. Since 2021, Google Maps has added around 8,047km of roads in the West Bank and Gaza. Nour Nassar from the Telecommunication and Digital Economy ministry of the Palestinian Authority expressed appreciation for these efforts.
User experiences highlight navigation challenges
Buttu detailed her own experiences of being led astray by Google Maps, including being directed into a wall that's been up since 2003. Other users have also reported similar experiences around the Qalandia checkpoint separating Jerusalem from the West Bank. In response to these reports, Bourdeau claimed Google is investigating the route and shall make an update if it can verify the situation against reliable data.
Google Maps's limitations in the West Bank
Users have also reported cases where Google Maps doesn't provide directions at all, like while navigating between cities in the West Bank. Addressing the issue, Bourdeau said the firm is working to fix it.
