Google introduced a change in its map application Google Maps recently. The update shows, whether businesses have been activate at getting low ratings removed from their Google Maps scores. The behavior seems to be widespread in Germany only, as Google introduced this new option only in Germany.
Whenever you open the profile page of a Google Maps business in Germany, Google reveals if the business had ratings removed from its listing. Google does not give you an exact count, but a range on the reviews tab. It is a useful indicator, as it tells you that the rating that Google Maps shows is likely not the true rating, if all customer ratings would be included.
Users who know are cautious when it comes to these businesses. While the information that Google displays is useful, it is bare bones. That is where the extension Echtstern comes into play.
It is an open source extension for Firefox and Chromium-based browsers. For Firefox, only an Android version appears to be available right now. For Chromium-based browsers, a desktop version is also provided.
The extension works automatically on Google Maps. Just look up a business and switch to the review tab. It displays the corrected score and information below the rating that Google displays.
If you prefer a web service, as it does not require installing an extension, then you could check out Review Proof. The service focuses on the different regions in Germany, but you can use a search to find out a specific restaurant or business.
In closing, both services are useful as they reveal which businesses have removed ratings from customers from Google Maps. However, it should be noted that there are legitimate reasons for removing ratings. While that is the case, a large number of removed ratings is more often than not a good indicator that the rating that Google shows on Maps does not reflect its true rating.