Resource Guide
Google Review Policy Guide
A comprehensive breakdown of Google's review content policies — what violates the rules, what doesn't, and what you can do about it. Updated for 2026.
1. Why Google's review policies matter for your business
Google reviews are often the first thing potential customers see when they search for your business. A strong review profile builds trust. A few damaging reviews — especially unfair ones — can erode that trust in seconds.
The good news: Google doesn't allow just anything. They have detailed content policies that prohibit certain types of reviews. If a review violates these policies, it can be reported and removed through official channels.
Understanding these policies is the first step to protecting your business. This guide breaks down exactly what Google prohibits, how enforcement works, and what your options are when you find a review that crosses the line.
2. Google's prohibited review types
Google's Maps User Contributed Content Policy outlines the types of content that are not allowed. Here are the categories most relevant to business reviews:
Spam and fake content
This is the most common violation. Google prohibits reviews that are not based on a genuine experience — including purchased reviews, reviews from bots, mass-posted identical reviews, and reviews from people who never visited or used your business.
Off-topic reviews
Reviews must reflect an actual experience with the business at that location. A review about a political issue, a personal grudge unrelated to the business, or a complaint about something outside your control (like government regulations) is considered off-topic and violates Google's policy.
Restricted and illegal content
Reviews that promote illegal activities, contain regulated product information (pharmaceuticals, weapons, gambling), or advertise illegal services violate Google's content guidelines.
Sexually explicit content
Any review containing sexually explicit or obscene content violates Google's policies and can be flagged for immediate removal.
Offensive and dangerous content
Reviews containing hate speech, threats of violence, harassment, or discriminatory content based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics are strictly prohibited.
Impersonation
Reviews posted while pretending to be someone else — whether a customer, employee, or business owner — violate Google's impersonation policy. This includes competitors leaving reviews as fake customers.
Conflict of interest
Google prohibits reviews from people with a conflict of interest — this includes current or former employees reviewing their own business, competitors reviewing rival businesses, and anyone with a financial incentive to leave a positive or negative review.
Personal information
Reviews that share personal or confidential information — such as someone's full name and address, phone number, financial details, or medical information — violate Google's privacy policies.
3. How Google enforces its review policies
Google uses a combination of automated systems and human reviewers to enforce content policies:
- Automated detection: Machine learning algorithms scan reviews for patterns associated with spam, fake content, and policy violations. Many violating reviews are caught and removed automatically before they even appear.
- User reports: Business owners and the public can flag reviews for policy violations through Google Business Profile. Flagged reviews are queued for human review.
- Manual review: Google's content moderation team reviews flagged content and makes the final determination on whether to remove it.
The challenge is that automated systems don't catch everything, and the manual review process can be inconsistent. Many legitimate flags are dismissed, leaving business owners frustrated and without recourse.
4. How to flag a Google review yourself
If you spot a review that violates Google's policies, here's how to report it:
- Open Google Maps and find your business listing
- Locate the review you want to report
- Click the three-dot menu next to the review
- Select "Flag as inappropriate"
- Choose the reason that best describes the violation
- Submit the report and wait for Google's response
You can also report reviews through your Google Business Profile dashboard under the Reviews section. Google typically responds within a few days, though response times vary.
5. When self-flagging doesn't work
In practice, self-flagging has a low success rate. Here's why:
- Generic reports get deprioritised. Clicking "flag as inappropriate" without providing detailed context often results in an automated dismissal.
- Google errs on the side of keeping content. When the violation isn't immediately obvious, Google tends to leave the review up.
- No appeals process for most flags. If your initial flag is rejected, there's limited recourse through the standard reporting flow.
- Complex violations need evidence. Proving a review is from a competitor or a fake customer requires documentation that the standard flagging form doesn't accommodate.
This is where most business owners hit a wall. The review clearly violates policy, but Google's automated system doesn't see it that way.
6. When to get professional help
If you've flagged a review yourself and it wasn't removed — or if you're dealing with multiple violating reviews — professional help can make the difference.
At OEOM, we specialise in Google review removal. We know exactly how to document policy violations, which escalation channels to use, and how to present cases in a way that gets results.
Our process is simple: you submit the review for a free assessment, we analyse it against Google's policies, and if it qualifies, we handle the full removal. You only pay if we succeed — and if we don't, you get a full refund.
Need a review removed?
Submit the review URL for a free, no-obligation assessment.
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