Hearmi

Why are Google reviews disappearing in 2026, and what can you do about it?

Starting in early 2026, Google rolled out Gemini-powered AI moderation across Google Maps reviews. The result: a 600%+ spike in review deletions with no official statement from Google. Legitimate reviews — ones that took customers real time to write — are vanishing overnight. Businesses that built their reputation on Google Reviews are watching years of social proof disappear. Google has not explained the criteria, has not offered an appeal process that works, and has not acknowledged the scale of the problem.