Alice Hsieh

Google Maps censorship: My reviews for hospitals in Gaza

Updated: Nov 8

Could Google's decision to conceal reviews in a war zone be considered censorship?

Has anyone ever asked you to leave a Google Review? Maybe it was a friend or relative desperately seeking 5-star reviews for their business. Or perhaps a service provider who insisted you leave a review on the spot, standing there, watching you type it out on your mobile —talk about pressure! You probably forced a smile and gave those five stars, even if they didn't entirely deserve it.

If you do not like sharing your thoughts on products or services, you're not alone. However, I'm doing something unusual. I am on a mission to write many reviews now: I'm flooding Google Maps with reviews of hospitals. They are for hospitals in Gaza.

No matter how justifiable wars may seem, the horror is indiscriminately the same. Yet, when I checked Google Maps after months of relentless bombardment in Gaza, the satellite images showed cities that appeared untouched—intact and serene. It's as if nothing had happened. Google Maps becomes a reflection of the Matrix, presenting an altered digital reality of a world we want to believe exists. Or is it simply a new form of Google censorship?

Google quietly posted a disclaimer:

"Information about this place may be outdated. Always pay attention to real-world conditions, which may be rapidly changing."

Just imagine if Google sends its Street View car and feeds back to us the actual 360-degree imagery now or even with the current satellite images. I wonder what the state of each hospital in Gaza is. If they stand, if their architecture holds the function of saving life.

As an architect with years of experience in healthcare design, I understand how a hospital, as a physical structure, can symbolize hope. With the same hope, I wrote my support to them.

At the moment, my Google review comments are visible only to me as the reviewer because Google has disabled the publication of new reviews in the war zone. I hold onto the hope that one day, when the war ends, Google will make these reviews public on Google Maps. One day.

Since I can view my reviews while logged into my Google account, I'm able to share the snapshots below: