Fact Check: Local Guide’s Photo Goes Viral After Being Misrepresented as Google Street View

Kathmandu: A photo has gone viral in recent days after the launch of Google Maps’ Street View service in Nepal, with claims that images of couples dating have started appearing on the platform. The photo is being widely shared on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and X.

However, a fact-check by TechPana Fact Check found that the viral photo was uploaded earlier by a Google Local Guide, not by Street View. Google only launched Street View in Nepal on August 15, 2025. The viral photo of a couple circulating on social media had been uploaded to Google Maps in March 2024 by a Local Guide. It is now being misleadingly presented as an image captured by Street View.

Claim

On Monday, August 17, 2025, at 8:12 pm, a Facebook page named ‘NEB Result’ posted an image that appears to show a couple hugging and dating. In the post, the top portion of the image shows the couple, while the bottom portion is a screenshot from Google Maps’ navigation section. The caption reads: “After Google updated Nepal’s Street Map, dating photos are also starting to appear.” (Translated) As of this writing, the post has received 3,400 reactions, 151 comments, and has been shared 32 times. See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post:

Research

During the investigation, TechPana Fact Check found that the same photo was circulating on multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. After identifying the post on the Facebook page NEB Result, the team searched the keyword “google dating” in Facebook’s search bar to track similar posts.

In that process, the team found that on August 16, 2025, at 9:44 pm, a Facebook page named ‘Santosh Parajuli - सन्तोष पराजुली’ had also shared the same claim. The post read: “A couple from Arghakhachi is stressed after seeing a photo of them secretly dating after Google updated Nepal’s street map.” (Translated) As of this writing, that post has received 3,100 reactions, 132 comments, and has been shared 21 times. See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post:

Similarly, at 9:10 pm on the same day, the page Routine of Ex Lover shared a similar post. As of this writing, it has received 2,000 reactions, 84 comments, and has been shared 25 times. See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post:

Likewise, at 11:17 pm the same day, a Facebook page named Update Japan posted an identical claim. That post has received 1,700 reactions, 101 comments, and has been shared 21 times. See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post:

The same claim has since spread across other Facebook pages, Instagram, and X. In all of these posts, the bottom part of the photo mentions the ‘Shri Supadeurali Temple’ in Arghakhanchi. To verify, we navigated to the temple using Google Maps Street View.

When Street View mode was enabled, a blue line appeared along the Sandhikharka–Gorusinghe road section connected to the temple. Google’s Street View creates these continuous blue lines from images captured by its own vehicles and cameras.

We then searched for the viral “dating photo” within Street View. The claimants suggested that the photo of the couple appeared on Street View. However, even after navigating from the Royal Arghakhanchi Guest House to the Kachikhola Bridge with Supa Deurali Temple placed in the middle, we could not find the viral photo of the couple.

Next, we checked the landmarks near the temple. On Google Maps, photos have been uploaded for locations such as the cliffs near the temple, the Supa Deurali Suspension Bridge, Tarang Falls, and the Kachikhola Bridge.

It was then confirmed that the viral photo was taken at the Supa Deurali Suspension Bridge. On Google Maps, this bridge appears under the name “Simple Suspension Bridge, Supa Deurali.” When Street View is turned on, a blue circle is visible at the bridge’s location. This blue circle, shown inside the red circle in the image below, represents a “Photo Sphere” upload.

According to Google Maps, Street View includes three types of visual data:

• Blue line: Continuous Street View images captured and connected by Google or contributors.

• Blue dot: Formerly indicated the “Photo Path” feature, which has now been removed.

• Blue circle: Represents a Photo Sphere, a single 360-degree photo uploaded by a user.

Although both Street View and Photo Sphere are grouped under the Street View category on Maps, there is a clear distinction between them. Street View consists of a connected series of 360-degree images, while Photo Sphere represents just one standalone 360-degree image.

Returning to the suspension bridge: when you click the landmark on Google Maps, a 360-degree photo opens in the lower right corner of the screen. Clicking it reveals the exact viral image of the couple. In the photo, a masked young man is hugging a young woman, placing his hand on her shoulder. Because it is a 360-degree image, the photo can be rotated to view the full surroundings.

Details visible in the photo include a handbag and a pair of slippers placed next to the couple. At the entrance of the suspension bridge, a woman appears to be taking a selfie, though her image is distorted due to motion during capture. Several people are crossing the bridge, and to the left, a girl is walking toward it while some others sit and chat nearby. A temporary hut selling chips and gutka is also visible, with a woman, likely the shopkeeper, sitting beside it.

This viral image was not captured by Google’s Street View team. Instead, it was uploaded in March 2024 by Amit Kumar, a Level 7 Local Guide on Google Maps. He has also uploaded two other photos of the suspension bridge, which can be seen above.

Local Guides is Google's global community where anyone can write reviews, share photos, answer questions, add or edit places, and verify information on Google Maps. This means that people from any country where Google Maps is available can become a Local Guide.

At the location of the ‘Simple Suspension Bridge, Supa Deurali’ on Google Maps, there are two Street View & 360° photos. One was taken by Local Guide Amit Kumar, while the other was captured by Google’s Street View camera beneath the same bridge. These two can be seen in the collage below. For clarity, let’s compare them:

(1) Although both are labeled Street View & 360°, the first collage highlights Amit Kumar’s name on the right, while the lower collage specifically mentions Google Street View.

(2) The date of Amit Kumar’s photo is March 2024, while Google’s Street View image is from August 2024.

(3) The first collage notes that Amit Kumar’s photo “may be copyrighted,” whereas the second states “Copyright 2025 Google” (©2025 Google).

Google Maps has also set a separate policy for Street View images, known as the Google-Contributed Street View Imagery Policy and Maps User Contributed Content Policy.

According to the Contributed Street View Policy, all images must meet three key criteria. First, none of the photos used in Street View are taken in real time; all are pre-captured. Second, Google has introduced a ‘blurring’ feature to protect privacy. Using its own technology, Google automatically blurs faces and vehicle license plates. A reporting tool is also available for anyone who wants to request blurring of houses, vehicles, or other personal identifiers.

In addition, Google prohibits eight categories of inappropriate content in Street View images. These include content that infringes intellectual property, sexually explicit material, illegal or violent content, abusive or threatening content, hate speech, terrorist content, content that could endanger children’s safety, and material that reveals personal identities.

The viral photo in question does not comply with Google’s Contributed Policy for Street View. For instance, Google itself has blurred faces and license plates on the Sandhikharka–Gorusinghe road section and at the Supadeurali Temple. But in the 360-degree photo uploaded by Local Guide Amit Kumar at the suspension bridge, none of the faces are blurred.

Claim
After Google updated Nepal’s Street Map, a photo of a couple secretly dating in Arghakhanchi appeared.

Claimants
Facebook pages and users including NEB Result, Santosh Parajuli - सन्तोष पराजुली, Routine of X Lover, Update Japan, as well as Instagram and X users.

Fact
The photo showing a couple sitting as if dating on the suspension bridge at Supa Deurali, Arghakhanchi, was not taken after Google updated Street View in Nepal, as claimed on Facebook pages. Google only launched Street View in Nepal on August 15, 2025. In reality, the photo circulating on Facebook and other social media was uploaded in March 2024 by a Google Local Guide, making the claim misleading.

Moreover, a single 360° photo is not enough to qualify as Google’s Street View feature. Street View requires multiple connected 360° images that allow navigation from one photo to another. Google has clearly explained this. Although a Local Guide’s photo may appear under the Street View & 360° section, it is technically a photo sphere. Such photos can carry copyright by the person who uploaded them. But for an image to be recognized as official Google Street View, it must be captured either by Google itself or by certified Street View contributors, and those photos carry Google’s copyright

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The photo taken on the Supa Deurali suspension bridge is described by Google as a “Photo Sphere.” There is only a single 360° photo at that location. When there are no other nearby photos to connect, it is classified as a Photo Sphere, not Street View.

Conclusion
The claim circulating on Facebook pages and other social media that Google’s Street View update exposed photos of couples dating is misleading, as confirmed by TechPana Fact Check. The viral photo was not captured by Google. It was uploaded to Google Maps by a Local Guide named Amit Kumar in March 2024. In contrast, Google captured Street View images of the nearby road using its Street View car in August 2024, five months after Amit Kumar’s upload. These official images were only made public on August 15, 2025.

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