ATHENS, Ga. — An Athens real estate agent says Google suspended her business profile in April and, despite months of appeals and repeated efforts to verify her business, she still does not know why.
A Google Business Profile helps customers find a location, read reviews and make contact. But Marlena Bhatia said her profile suddenly disappeared in April.
“Everybody goes to Google,” Bhatia said.
But anyone searching online for Bhatia’s real estate business no longer sees a map location, customer reviews or an active Google Business Profile.
“From April to August, I’m still dealing with this,” she said.
When she searches for her own business, she sees a notice stating that her profile has been suspended because it does not follow Google’s guidelines.
“You’re not visible to customers. Your access has been suspended because the profile doesn’t follow the guidelines,” the notice says.
Google required Bhatia to verify that her business was legitimate to restore her page. She said the company asked her to submit a video showing her office, business mail, business card and real estate license.
Despite providing the requested documentation, Bhatia said the suspension remains in place.
Bhatia said Google has never explained which guideline she allegedly violated. After months of appeals and attempts to restore the account, she said she continues to receive the same automated response.
“I had 35 five-star reviews and they’re not able to be seen anymore,” Bhatia said. “I have phone calls come in from my business page. I’m not getting those phone calls anymore.”
The issue is not unique to Google.
Since 2025, Channel 2 Action News Investigates has reported on numerous business owners who said Meta improperly disabled their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
A Sandy Springs jewelry business owner told Channel 2 Action News that Meta wrongly flagged her account for child sexual exploitation material.
“Every morning I keep waking up like today is going to be the day. I did nothing wrong,” Melissa Mor previously told Channel 2 Action News.
Another metro Atlanta business owner, Tara Hanover, said the loss of access to her social media accounts affected her ability to work.
“I am worried because it impacts my work,” Hanover said in a separate Channel 2 investigation.
This week, both Google and Meta told Channel 2 Action News they are using artificial intelligence to identify and remove scam accounts and other policy violations.
In a statement Wednesday, Google said AI helps the company stay ahead of bad actors and fraudulent businesses.
But Bhatia says she has been unable to reach a person at Google who can explain or correct the situation.
“I can tell you what the guidelines are now and can tell that I have not crossed any of those, but I’m still suspended and do not know why,” she said.
Channel 2 Action News found similar complaints in online forums, including reports from business owners who experienced profile suspensions around the same time in April.
Channel 2 Action News contacted Google about Bhatia’s case and is awaiting a response.
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