Google Maps is trustworthy for its core function—navigation and location data—because it combines satellite imagery, Street View, GPS data from millions of Android devices, and continuous updates from local authorities. In cities like Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal, the accuracy for addresses and routes exceeds 99%. Over a billion people use it monthly without major navigation failures, which speaks to its reliability. The trust issue emerges with business information. Anyone can claim a Google Business Profile, and while Google verifies ownership through postcards or phone calls, the data businesses enter isn't always current. Hours change, phone numbers disconnect, and services get updated without the listing reflecting it. We see this constantly—clients complain their competitor's listing shows wrong hours, but often their own listing is stale too. Reviews are another weak point. Google's fake review detection catches obvious spam, but subtle manipulation slips through. Competitors buy reviews, disgruntled employees leave one-stars, and review-gating (asking only happy customers to review) skews ratings. A 4.8-star plumber might deliver 3-star work, while a legit 4.2-star restaurant could be excellent. The volume and recency of reviews matter more than the score itself. For local businesses depending on Maps, the platform is trustworthy enough that ignoring it means losing 30-60% of potential local traffic. At Ottawa SEO, we treat Google Business Profiles as non-negotiable for any client with a physical location or service area. We update them monthly, respond to reviews within 48 hours, and add posts regularly because Google rewards active profiles with better visibility. Bottom line: Trust Google Maps for directions and discovering businesses nearby. Don't trust it blindly for business details—call ahead to confirm hours or services, especially for time-sensitive needs. And if you run a business, assume your competitors are optimizing their profiles while you're not, which makes maintaining accurate, complete information a competitive requirement, not a nice-to-have.