Walking Route Calorie Estimator Removed From Google Maps After User Criticism

[sracer]

Fair enough. But it's a big world with lots of people with lots of issues that trigger them. We can't cater to everyone's issue or we'll end up with nothing. Furthermore, there are far more food and weight related "triggering" billboards and TV ads in open view than this app. I mean seriously every time I see that Marie Osmond ad *I* feel the need to barf.

There are plenty of people who get triggered for a variety of things... many are on this forum. Just watch the reaction when Apple offers a product or an option that does not appeal to them. They want Apple to remove it or discontinue it.

Just swing by the Macbook Air subforum and watch people get triggered left and right by the horror of Apple continuing to sell a notebook without a retina display.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

I like this feature.

It's was a guide - if we want to get picky about accuracy, the estimated number of minutes it displays can be classed as "useless" as we all walk/drive at different speeds. I also imagine obesity costs society way more than anorexia/EDs do.

I guess a simple calorie estimate would've been better than the whole cupcake angle they tried though.

Agreed! Having some feedback is better than nothing. Didn't try it myself but one of my general observations is that while everyone is trying to integrate apps with iMessages, they should really be focusing on integration data across apps. I love he idea of having my primary mapping app display exercise metrics, driving metrics, etc. Don't make me run 5 different mapping apps to accomplish different mapping-related tasks.

And please... don't knee-jerk remove features useful to many people just because a few don't like it. Make it optional instead.

 

[macTW]

Of course somebody complained about being triggered. What a cupcake.

 

[4jasontv]

Thankfully I don't have an eating disorder and I am not aware of anyone close to me that does. I do have questions about how this would be a trigger. Also, do people with eating disorders have issues with food references or would this make them compulsively go for a walk after they ate? Isn't it possible that someone with an eating disorder would feel better about eating since they had a measure of how to burn those calories off? Are there more people with eating disorders then dealing with excess weight?

Honestly I don't know, and I'm not an authority on this topic by any means. It feels like an appropriate feature for walking directions, but I might be ignorant of some bigger issue.

 

[BruiserBear]

People being upset has nothing to do with concerns over how accurately google is estimating the calories burned, or concern over how it might affect those with eating disorders.

People being upset has everything to do with not wanting to be reminded that they're dangerously overweight and need to move more, so they find any reason they can to shut down discussion of such things. Obesity rates in the U.S just hit a new record high. People want to live in bubbles where no one is allowed to bring this topic up, while everyone just keeps getting fatter. This kind of stupidity needs to be ignored, not catered to.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/13/health/adult-obesity-increase-study/index.html

 

[upandown]

We can't encourage people to get up and exercise a little. That's not PC.

 

[laz232]

Removed for now. They're still testing it though and it will very likely return.
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All types of devices make assumptions. Nearly every machine in the gym does. It may have you enter your weight but without entering height, BMI, and other information, it's only guessing at calories burned. We have studies showing all personal fitness devices aren't totally accurate (including the Apple Watch, though it was the closest to reality).

Total accuracy isn't the point. It can be a totally arbitrary number like Nike Fuel Points. The purpose is to encourage people to push a bit and reach a goal. To get some exercise and do something positive for themselves. The exact numbers don't matter. The activity itself does.

As someone that has suffered from underweight, and other health issues I think that the focus on quantification is dangerous - especially when it is presented without any qualification.

I have been doing a large amount of research within the published medical literature. It's clear from the various health issues that the Western population is suffering from that there is no clear-cut dietary and exercise advice.

Equating calories to cupcakes is likely to create confusion to significant part of the population that will believe that they can now indulge after having walked a block.

individual biodome variation and genetics will create a huge variation in both the nutrition profile that is healthy for that person as well as the amount of nutrition that is absorbed when consuming various foods, in a similar fashion the energy expenditure will vary by many percent. Therefore Google offering advice without any indication as to the deviation of the results for the individual is very misleading and should not be encouraged.

 

[Kaibelf]

People just don’t want to know how fat they are and how much slimmer they could be with small adjustments to their choices. It makes them feel “oppressed” because it’s easier for them to not have any personal accountability at all.

 

[1098474]

That seems really inappropriate as a feature within Google Maps. Hmm.

Please explain, I was looking forward to seeing this feature but people like you bitch about it so they take it away. You are probably the person who bitches about a TV show that is to graphic and complains to the network to take it down

 

[Kaibelf]

I can tell you that people with an ED or recovering from one will be very easily triggered by this.
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I think it's more an issue for someone WITH an ED or someone that's recovering.
I can tell you that it would be very triggering for those people!

Most people don’t have ED and with all due respect the whole world doesn’t have to bow down before those who do. If they have issues, that’s their thing and I’m not interested in subscribing. There comes a point where perhaps therapy makes more sense than asking the entire world to function around someone’s lack of self esteem.

 

[madeirabhoy]

I didn't even know the word triggered could be used like that. I feel offended.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

As someone that has suffered from underweight, and other health issues I think that the focus on quantification is dangerous - especially when it is presented without any qualification.

I have been doing a large amount of research within the published medical literature. It's clear from the various health issues that the Western population is suffering from that there is no clear-cut dietary and exercise advice.

Equating calories to cupcakes is likely to create confusion to significant part of the population that will believe that they can now indulge after having walked a block.

individual biodome variation and genetics will create a huge variation in both the nutrition profile that is healthy for that person as well as the amount of nutrition that is absorbed when consuming various foods, in a similar fashion the energy expenditure will vary by many percent. Therefore Google offering advice without any indication as to the deviation of the results for the individual is very misleading and should not be encouraged.

I think you're looking into this far far far too deep. This is nothing more than an encouragement to get some exercise. That's it.

You believe it's better to just present walking directions, rather than any encouragement to walk?

 

[coffeemadmanUK]

CityMapper had this feature for years. Too bad it had to be taken down.

I was going to say that Citymapper has this.

People really need to relax. It's a guideline. It's just based on averages and bloody heck it's a good way to think "Oh wow that means I can possibly burn a fair amount of calories if I walk this rather than get a taxi". Even if it's off, the WORST CASE is that people actually walk. Holy crap. Think of the children!

I don't see how people with an eating disorder could be offended by this - is it the calories or the cupcake? Genuinely would be interested if there is an iota of proof this specific item causes stress in a significant number of people sufficient to remove it.

We cannot cater to all possibilities and all people or we'd be left with nothing.

I literally. And I mean that literally. Cannot believe this is even an issue.

 

[hobocamp456]

This is why we can’t have nice things. What the hell is wrong with people. “Triggering” for people with eating disorders. Give me a damn break.

 

[m.r.m]

Longtime reader here. I created an account to comment on this. I was appalled by the overwhelming number of critical comments I saw on this posting.

Most posters seem oblivious, lacking any desire to try to understand what’s happened here.

There are people in this world that suffer or have suffered through eating disorders. If you don’t understand, or can’t understand, why not try - for just a moment. If you obsessed over calories to the point that you’d consider it a mental illness, how do you think it would make you feel to see commentary about calories and cupcakes every single time you opened your mapping app? I imagine it would be torturous. Again, if you can’t understand, why not try for a moment? It’s called empathy, and the world would be better off if you exercised some.

For those of you criticizing public health, you’re right. But you’re missing the point here. Open yourselves to other perspectives and try to understand the difficulties people other than yourself suffer from.

 

[dampfnudel]

It's 2017. People will get triggered by this comment of yours.

A lot of people are triggered the moment they wake up.

 

[576316]

Please explain, I was looking forward to seeing this feature but people like you bitch about it so they take it away. You are probably the person who bitches about a TV show that is to graphic and complains to the network to take it down

Absolutely not. However, Google Maps is not a fitness app. That’s not why people are using the app. Calorie seems completely misplaced, to me.

Please don’t result to petty insults, it makes your argument weaker.
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On paper, it sort of makes sense, but in practise, its useless. People's pace, weight, metabolism all factor in how much calories are burned up. I think overall, its a useless feature.

Precisely. It’s misplaced and largely useless.

 

[nickofari]

"He drank another deer as he drove along. Two and a half six-packs to Lee's Ferry. Out there in the open Southwest, he and his friends measured highway distances in per-capita six-packs of beer. L.A. to Phoenix, four six-packs; Tucson to Flagstaff, three six-packs; Phoenix to New York, thirty-five six-packs. (Time is relative, said Heraclitus a long time ago, and distance a function of velocity. Since the ultimate goal of transport technology is the annihilation of space, the compression of all Being into one pure point, it follows that six-packs help. Speed is the ultimate drug and rockets run on alcohol. Hayduke had formulated this theory all by himself.)" E.A., The Monkey Wrench Gang

 

[jonnysods]

Need a heart rate monitor for accuracy IMO

 

[827538]

People get offended over anything. Google, this sounds like a cool feature, bring it back and f*** the snowflakes.
If a calorie estimation triggers you and your eating disorder then maybe you’ve got bigger issues, not my god dam problem. Pathetic.

 

[madeirabhoy]

Longtime reader here. I created an account to comment on this. I was appalled by the overwhelming number of critical comments I saw on this posting.

Most posters seem oblivious, lacking any desire to try to understand what’s happened here.

There are people in this world that suffer or have suffered through eating disorders. If you don’t understand, or can’t understand, why not try - for just a moment. If you obsessed over calories to the point that you’d consider it a mental illness, how do you think it would make you feel to see commentary about calories and cupcakes every single time you opened your mapping app? I imagine it would be torturous. Again, if you can’t understand, why not try for a moment? It’s called empathy, and the world would be better off if you exercised some.

For those of you criticizing public health, you’re right. But you’re missing the point here. Open yourselves to other perspectives and try to understand the difficulties people other than yourself suffer from.

i read your post and i tried. for a minute. and nope. the sort of person you are describing, who will freak out at the mere mention of calories must not be able to walk through a supermarket or turn on the tv or radio. someone like that needs medical help and i feel so sorry for them but the rest of the world cant stop any mention of calories or weight loss or sensible eating and exercise just to avoid upsetting such a person.

sorry if you find that harsh.

 

[midkay]

Longtime reader here. I created an account to comment on this. I was appalled by the overwhelming number of critical comments I saw on this posting.

Most posters seem oblivious, lacking any desire to try to understand what’s happened here.

There are people in this world that suffer or have suffered through eating disorders. If you don’t understand, or can’t understand, why not try - for just a moment. If you obsessed over calories to the point that you’d consider it a mental illness, how do you think it would make you feel to see commentary about calories and cupcakes every single time you opened your mapping app? I imagine it would be torturous. Again, if you can’t understand, why not try for a moment? It’s called empathy, and the world would be better off if you exercised some.

For those of you criticizing public health, you’re right. But you’re missing the point here. Open yourselves to other perspectives and try to understand the difficulties people other than yourself suffer from.

I just think if something triggers you that hard, then I do understand it is a very real thing for you, but I also firmly believe it's something you need to start facing and working with, rather than insisting the entire world accommodate your very specific, irrational discomfort. Otherwise you're going to spend your whole life living in fear. I believe overcoming fear will lead you to be far happier, and is REALLY important to do, rather than just hiding away from the things that scare you forever, which will only ever lead to more and more claustrophobia, anxiety, and misery.

 

[1098474]

I just think if something triggers you that hard, then I do understand it is a very real thing for you, but I also firmly believe it's something you need to start facing and working with, rather than insisting the entire world accommodate your very specific, irrational discomfort. Otherwise you're going to spend your whole life living in fear. I believe overcoming fear will lead you to be far happier, and is REALLY important to do, rather than just hiding away from the things that scare you forever, which will only ever lead to more and more claustrophobia, anxiety, and misery.

well said sir

 

[mariusignorello]

It was a good and welcome idea because staying active has never been more important. If the feature wasn’t accurate and was only estimating then it should be removed if it ends up being wildly off.

The mini cupcake unit of measure was funny too.

 

[CarlJ]

On paper, it sort of makes sense, but in practise, its useless. People's pace, weight, metabolism all factor in how much calories are burned up. I think overall, its a useless feature.

Agreed. It's, hmm, cute, at best, and misleading at worst. If they wanted this, it would have been easy to add it with an on/off toggle, off by default, and a little dialog popping up on first use saying, "we've got this cute new feature, would you like to enable it?"

I have this funny feeling that many of the same people who are complaining here that "people who don't like this should get over themselves" with lots of derision about "snowflakes" being "triggered" (a ridiculously overused word)... also got all bent out of shape when Apple gave them a free U2 album ("how dare they!"). But in that case it was them being affected, so that was totally reasonable to get upset about it, right?

In both cases, it would have been better, and only a little bit more work, for the company involved to say, "hey, new thing available at no cost to you, would you like it?" But in both cases they just assumed that everyone would be as excited about the new thing as they were.