Google Ditching a Planned Walking Calorie Counter in Google Maps Because of... Shaming?

[PlayStation 2]

Original article: https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/17/google-maps-calorie-ios-test-dump/

Google is ditching a feature that was in the works for Google Maps due to users complaining on Twitter saying that it would shame or even trigger someone for showing the calorie count of a comparable walking route to a destination.

Google is ditching a planned feature for Maps following criticism on social media. The update was tied to directions and displayed how many calories you'd burn if you were to walk to your destination. By clicking on the walking option, you'd even be shown the calories in equivalence to mini cupcakes (of all things). Chances are, the search juggernaut was trying to encourage people to take the active route as opposed to driving. But, its attempt at promoting a healthy lifestyle didn't go down well online. A number of people lambasted the feature on Twitter, claiming it would "shame" and even "trigger" those with eating disorders.

Taking note of the negative reaction, Google is now dumping the experiment. It confirmed to Engadget that the update was briefly tested on iOS, and has been abandoned based on user feedback.

 

Taylor Lorenz, a reporter from The Hill first noted this feature, and apparently, you wouldn't have been able to turn it off.

As The Hill's Taylor Lorenz noted in her tweets, there was no way to turn off the feature. Lorenz also claimed that using pink cupcakes as the unit of measurement was "lowkey aimed at women." Others pointed out that Maps wasn't the appropriate place for the update. After all, there are plenty of fitness and calorie counting apps that keep track of your activity and consumption -- again emphasizing how misplaced the feature was.

 

Personally, it seems a little stupid that people were getting all riled up at this. Honestly I think this would've been a neat feature. But that's just me; what do you think about it?

 

[Nocte]

7 minutes ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

Personally, it seems a little stupid that people were getting all riled up at this. Honestly I think this would've been a neat feature. But that's just me; what do you think about it?

Several people nowadays read about someone crying about something, and they will follow trying to jump on the i-need-attention train.

[The Benjamins]

What, this would be a good feature for people managing their calorie in take and burn. with this you would know if getting the burger is OK if you walked to pick it up. (for example)

 

EDIT: the article stated other app already track fitness so it is not need, but this feature doesn't track it provides a estimation of calorie burn.

I also don't get how this is seen as targeting woman.

 

Couldn't google make it off by default, and have it user activatable.

[Max_Settings]

But...It's BODY SHAMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[handymanshandle]

Shit, then Samsung ought to get rid of S Health, and another other company with a health app.

 

But I mean hey Google, doesn't have a dedicated health app. Maps could be where they add that functionality.

 

I mean they allow you to share your driving route on social media, why shouldn't you be able to share the route of and steps/calories you burnt a hike or walk you took.

 

Maybe they should've made a switch instead of dumping it all together to sooth those precious feelings of the goons who feel "shamed" or "triggered" for a readout of any form of energy be it kCal, Joules, Calories

[MyName13]

 

 

Really Google?

[Mysticode]

This is why we can't have nice things

[Dissitesuxba11s]

I think if this was an option that was originally off and users will only enable it if they want to, then people would not care as much. 

[suicidalfranco]

fat shaming works. Deal with it.

[TidaLWaveZ]

Sounds correct from today's victim culture.

 

Nothing is safe from being labeled a personal attack.

[xtroria]

It’s honestly a neat feature, as someone who is trying to lose weight by tracking incoming vs expenditure calories knowing how much calories i’ve burned through google is extremely useful

[TVwazhere]

27 minutes ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

Personally, it seems a little stupid that people were getting all riled up at this. Honestly I think this would've been a neat feature. But that's just me; what do you think about it?

If you think that's stupid, I had someone on facebook say they would delete people if you didnt post a trigger warning when using the trending hashtag #metoo...

[AHaskin14]

I'm in the boat of fitness trackers being stupid (mainly because of their inaccuracy and false sense of accomplishment) so I'm fine with this.

[handymanshandle]

Just now, AHaskin14 said:

I'm in the boat of fitness trackers being stupid (mainly because of their inaccuracy and false sense of accomplishment) so I'm fine with this.

alright, but I mean sure they're not accurate but you can't deny that they don't give you an idea of what you're doing.

[Brainless906]

I'm on board with Calorie Counting being fairly dumb and a fairly poor tool for a healthy lifestyle but pulling something like this is next level stupid. I doubt Google pulled the feature exclusively because of a few SJWs and Buzzfeed complain about it though, there was assumable more business grade thought behind the action.

A bunch of the reporting on this seems like TRIGGER bait for people being TRIGGERED over people getting TRIGGERED.

[xtroria]

2 minutes ago, AHaskin14 said:

I'm in the boat of fitness trackers being stupid (mainly because of their inaccuracy and false sense of accomplishment) so I'm fine with this.

It's simple human psychology. We are very objectively driven and we like to see a short term goal / checkpoint over the long term one.

 

Call it stupid of w/e but its been proven to work

[Sauron]

I can see how not being able to turn it off would get annoying, but... why ditch the feature completely?

[AHaskin14]

12 minutes ago, xtroria said:

It's simple human psychology. We are very objectively driven and we like to see a short term goal / checkpoint over the long term one.

 

Call it stupid of w/e but its been proven to work

ya it tells people they did something and they feel good but the problem is that they then go an eat a bowl of ice cream because they "deserved" it after their long walk. It often hurts people more than it helps.

[TidaLWaveZ]

24 minutes ago, AHaskin14 said:

ya it tells people they did something and they feel good but the problem is that they then go an eat a bowl of ice cream because they "deserved" it after their long walk. It often hurts people more than it helps.

Studies show they're proven to work.

 

All studies brought to you by the wonderful people at FitBit.

[Drak3]

Now I'll never get into shape.

 

Kappa.

[ScratchCat]

Why would they add this feature to a route planner, it is supposed to give you the fastest/shortest path. Instead of something useful like probability of rain (for people who can't look outside or at a weather report) they add this?

It probably took 5 minutes to program in the simplest way eg distance * constant . Furthermore for those who would actually care , it would be horribly inaccurate either way.

[S w a t s o n]

More on topic, I actually calorie count and it works well for me. I still dont exercise as much as I should probably (aka at all) but I am losing weight. My hair isn't falling out and I feel fine, even better than before when I was just shoveling shit into my mouth. This wouldn't incentivize me to walk more because I'm lazy but I think it would be helpful for people that aren't lazy shits like me.

[minibois]

That does look like a cool feature, maybe they could make a special version of the Maps app, with the subtitle "for people without frail feeling"

[PCGuy_5960]

I don't get why people got triggered over this. Don't like it? Don't use it. I also don't get why Google is going to ditch it, IMO, they should add this feature, but they should let you disable it if you don't want it.

[DildorTheDecent]

She previously wrote for the Daily Mail....

 

Disregard her opinion