Google Maps · Google Maps Platform Terms of Service

Mandatory Attribution Requirements

Low severity
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What it is

Every app or website using Google Maps must visibly display the Google logo and copyright notices exactly as Google requires — you cannot hide, remove, or change these branding elements.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users of apps built on Maps Platform will always see Google branding and copyright notices, which is a condition of the developer's license — this has minimal direct consumer harm but reflects the extent of Google's brand control.

How other platforms handle this

Snapchat Medium

If you believe that your copyrighted work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement and is accessible via the Services, please notify Snap's copyright agent as set forth in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA). For your complaint to be valid under the DMCA, you ...

Apple Medium

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services. Apple's Family Sharing feature allows a family organizer to share purchases, subscriptions, and Apple services with up to five family members. The family organizer is responsible for all purchases made by family members under the age of 18.

PayPal Medium

By opening and using a PayPal account, you agree to comply with all of the terms and conditions of this user agreement, including the Fee pages, and any upcoming changes described on the Policy Updates page... These terms include an agreement to resolve disputes by arbitration on an individual basis...

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

Failure to display required attribution is a material breach that can result in API key termination, and it restricts the design freedom of developers who must accommodate Google branding in their user interfaces.

View original clause language
You must display the Google logo and any copyright notices and attribution required by Google in your Maps API Implementation, and you must not remove, obscure, or alter any copyright notices, watermarks, or any other proprietary rights notices appearing in or on any Content accessed through the Maps APIs.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Attribution requirements are primarily governed by intellectual property law (copyright and trademark) rather than consumer protection regulations. However, if attribution is used to imply endorsement or affiliation in a misleading way, the FTC Act Section 5 endorsement guidelines could apply. (2)

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Applicable regulations

CFAA
United States Federal
DMCA
United States Federal
DSA
European Union

Provision details

Document information
Document
Google Maps Platform Terms of Service
Entity
Google Maps
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 28, 2026
Last verified
April 28, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002378
Document ID
CA-D-00324
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
d7d43c97b706df81bcb608a886eba9988cb50b384442642f9c928a5aa47175e4
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Google Maps | Document: Google Maps Platform Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-002378
Captured: 2026-04-28 10:05:02 UTC | SHA-256: d7d43c97b706df81…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/google-maps/google-maps-platform-terms-of-service/mandatory-attribution-requirements/
Accessed: April 29, 2026
Classification
Severity
Low
Categories

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