Google has always been seeking help from their users to make their products better. They recently created the Google Translate Community to get better results of idiomatic expressions and colloquial language in general provided by native speakers. Google Maps, one of their most useful tools, not only to get around unknown places or get directions but also to get more specific visual elements from tools like their Street View. Google introduced their Map Maker tool in 2008 so that users could contribute with the recent changes they observed like adding roads or places, which could be helpful to other users and then include them in Google Maps.
The tool was recently shut down because there was some inappropriate imagery found on some of the maps areas. The changes from the Map Maker were submitted by users and they had to wait for the approval of some Google employees who finally adjusted Google Maps. Clearly, that system didn’t work for whatever reason, so Google has announced that Map Maker will be re-launched with a new system to approve the submitted changes.
It will be ready on early August and the new system involves the users even more, not only will they submit changes, but they will be the ones who approve them. The new system might be questionable because some members of the community were the ones that submitted the images that got the service shut down, but the people at Google, based on what they have been observing through time, are convinced that the vast majority of the users really want to improve Google Maps to benefit more users. There will be some users entitled with a Regional Lead and those users will get to try the Map Maker before the rest of the users and they will get to decide if a submitted change is appropriate. Some changes will still require to get approved by Google operators, but the idea is that enough people will filter the changes as the community of Regional Leaders increases. So if you want to enrich Google Maps, you will once again have the chance to do so in about a month.