Sponsored Google Map Ads?

Goggle sponsored ad on map

Goggle sponsored ad on map

While traveling around Maine last week my car GPS seemed to be leading our trip in an odd direction.  Not wanting to go to far our of my way I brought up Google Maps on the iPhone and punched in the coordinates.  While I did get the location it also gave me this sponsored ad in the middle of the map that I have never seen. Did I miss a memo?  I have never seen this pop up before.

I understand why Google wants to do this.  It’s yet one more way to advertise using all the location data and personal information that Google collects.

I am not a fan of this tactic.  I do not remember asking if Google could display ads on my maps. Removing my personal opinion there are still things here that I feel are very wrong.

• The size of the ad takes up a huge amount of space on the map relative to the overall screen size of the phone
• The sponsored pin is ugly and a different shape then all the other google pins
• I was not able to move the ad around to see the road under it - or dismiss the ad
• When I first did the search and the label appeared I initially thought that was the destination I needed to go to.  Visually it caught my eye first in a misleading manner.

Now I am aware that they are there and intrusive I will not be using Google Maps unless I absolutely have to and look forward to what the Apple version is in iOS 6.