Google My Business website policies

The content policies listed below play an important role in maintaining a positive experience for everyone using Google products. We need to curb abuses that threaten our ability to provide these services, and we ask that everyone abide by the policies below to help us achieve this goal.

These policies apply to content shared on your Google My Business website. When applying these policies, we may make exceptions if we determined that the page contains information which is in the public interest. Be sure to check back from time to time, as these policies may change. Google reserves the right to suspend access to the Google My Business website builder or other Google Services to individuals or businesses that violate these guidelines.

Please also refer to Google My Business Terms of Service and Google My Business guidelines for more information.

Report abuse

If you believe that someone is violating the policies found below, please file a policy violation.

To report copyright infringement or other legal issues, please use this tool, which will guide you through the process of reporting content that you believe warrants removal from Google's services based on applicable laws.

Program policies

Relevant content

Content on Google My Business websites should be relevant to the business that the author is posting on behalf of and help users better understand the business. Content that's irrelevant to the business or has no clear association with the business isn't allowed. Refer to our overall guidelines for representing your business on Google.

Spam, malware, and phishing

Please keep our products spam-free and malware-free. Spam includes, but is not limited to, unwanted promotional or commercial content and unwanted or mass solicitation. Do not use our products for phishing. Refrain from soliciting or collecting sensitive data, including but not limited to passwords, financial details, and social security numbers. We also do not allow the transmission of malware, viruses, destructive code, or anything that may harm or interfere with the operation of the networks, servers, or other infrastructure of Google or others. Do not create sites exclusively designed to drive traffic to another web property and scrape existing content from other sources for the primary purpose of generating revenue or other personal gains.  

Inappropriate and offensive content

We value diversity and respect for others, and we strive to avoid offending users with content that is inappropriate for our platforms. For this reason, the following content is not allowed on Google My Business websites:

• Violence and hate: We do not support content that promotes or condones violence against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, nationality, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity, or whose primary purpose is inciting hatred on the basis of these core characteristics.
• Harassment: Do not publish harassing, bullying, or threatening content towards individuals or groups.
• Graphic material: Do not post extremely graphic or violent materials for the sake of disgusting others. 
• Sexually explicit material: Do not publish sexually explicit or pornographic images or videos. Adult content is permitted as long as it is not accompanied by sexually explicit images or videos, or any material that promotes or depicts unlawful or inappropriate sexual acts with children or animals. We do allow naturalistic and documentary depictions of nudity (such as an image of a breastfeeding infant), as well as depictions of nudity that serve a clear educational, scientific, or artistic purpose.

Child exploitation

Do not upload or share content that exploits or abuses children. This includes all child sexual abuse imagery (even cartoon images) and all content that presents children in a sexual manner. This means that you cannot use our services to create, possess, or distribute child sexual abuse imagery, and you cannot use our services to create a gallery of children's pictures with sexually explicit commentary, for example.

We will remove such content and take appropriate action, which may include disabling accounts and reporting to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and law enforcement.

If you find any content that you think exploits children in this manner, do not comment on such content, even if your intent is to bring it to Google's attention. Instead, flag the content through the "Report a problem" link. If you find content elsewhere on the internet, please contact NCMEC directly.

Personal and confidential information

Do not share personal and confidential information. We do not allow unauthorized publishing of people's private and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, drivers and other license numbers, or any other information that is not publicly accessible. Keep in mind that in most cases, information that is already available elsewhere on the Internet or in public records is not considered to be private or confidential under our policies.

Additionally, do not post or distribute images or videos of minors without the necessary consent from their legal representatives.

Terrorist content

We do not permit terrorist organizations to use this service for any purpose, including recruitment. We also strictly prohibit content related to terrorism, such as content that promotes terrorist acts, incites violence, or celebrates terrorist attacks. If posting content related to terrorism for an educational, documentary, scientific, or artistic purpose, be mindful to provide enough information so viewers understand the context. 

Illegal activities

Keep it legal. Do not use our service to engage in illegal activities or promote dangerous and illegal acts. For instance, do not facilitate the promotion or sale of illegal drugs. If we are notified of unlawful activities, we will take appropriate action, which may include removing access to some of our products, your Google Account, or reporting you to the relevant authorities.

Copyright infringement

Respect copyright laws. Do not share copyrighted content without authorization or provide links to sites where your readers can obtain unauthorized downloads of copyrighted content. It is our policy to respond to clear notices of alleged copyright infringement. Repeated infringement of intellectual property rights, including copyright, will result in account termination. If you see a violation of Google's copyright policies, report copyright infringement.

Policy for acceptable domain names

• We reserve the right to reclaim custom URLs or remove them for any reason, and without notice.
• Custom URLs are free. 
• Don't include words and phrases in your custom URL that would violate the Google My Business website policies on this page, the Google My Business Terms of Service, or the Google Terms of Service.

Translations of our policies are provided for your convenience. If there is a conflict between the text of this policy and the text of the English language version of the policy, the text of the English language version of the policy will take precedence.

Impressum requirement

Make sure that your website content complies with local laws in your country. In some countries, commercial websites are required to include an "impressum," or website disclaimer. If an impressum is required in your country, you can use the "Description" field to add the appropriate information.

Contact Forms

Contact Forms are online forms connected to Google My Business that provide a flexible platform for the first interaction between a customer and merchant. Customers can use Contact Forms to ask for a quote or for more information on the services a business offers. To ensure the best experience, Contact Form users must follow the guidelines below. 

Policies for merchants

Data collection and use

Respect and handle information provided by customers with appropriate care. 

• Any use of customer data needs to be relevant to the services your business provides. Do not misuse this information, or collect it for undisclosed purposes or without appropriate security measures. 
• You may not expose customer data to other users or third parties without explicit consent from the customer providing the data.
• Do not impersonate an organization or individual when requesting information through the platform. 
• Do not solicit private and confidential information, including passwords, financial details, and social security numbers. 

Merchants using Contact Forms must comply with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.

Policies for customers

Sensitive content

Do not provide financial or other sensitive information outside of the information requested on the form, namely your name, phone number, and email address.

Policies for customers and merchants

Spam and malware

Google does not allow the transmission of malware, viruses, destructive code, or anything that may harm or interfere with the operation of the networks, servers, or other infrastructure of Google or others. 

Do not send unsolicited mass mailings using Contact Forms. Customers will be contacted only in reference to the request submitted or to other services related to the business (i.e. no commercial spam or communication on other unrelated services). 

Inappropriate content

Communication between merchants and customers should focus on the business and services offered, avoiding:

• Content that promotes or condones hatred or violence against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, nationality, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity
• Harassing, bullying, or threatening content towards individuals or groups
• Graphic or violent materials for the sake of disgusting others
• Sexually explicit or pornographic images or videos
• Content that exploits or abuses children

Illegal activities

Keep it legal. Do not use our service to engage in illegal activities or promote dangerous and illegal acts. If we are notified of unlawful activities, we will take appropriate action, which may include removing access to some of our products, your Google Account, or reporting you to the relevant authorities.