Use Google Street View links or embeds to document before-and-after street-level change.
Submit evidence
Open Google Maps Street View and choose the earlier year.
Use Share, copy link, or embed map. Embeds are preferred.
Repeat for the later year from the same place.
Paste both links, choose a category, add the years, and send it for moderation.
Suggest a place
Suggest a location when you do not have both dated Street View links.
Add a Google Maps link, a short note, and the location becomes an open lead for contributors.
Rating decline
Choose No decline, Mild decline, Clear decline or Severe decline. Rate only the visible change supported by the two dated views.
Top rated pins need at least three ratings. Community ratings are opinions about the submitted evidence, not an official measure of an area.
Signed-in ratings are tied to your account. Anonymous ratings use a local browser identity.
Moderation
Submissions wait for review before appearing on the public map. Admins can correct labels, years, categories, and coordinates.
Why this exists
Streets change. Shops close, buildings deteriorate, neighbourhoods shift and most of it goes unrecorded. World Decline Map exists to document that change using dated, verifiable street-level evidence that anyone can submit, rate, and explore.
Every pin is a before-and-after pair pulled from public Google Maps Street View embeds. The result is a growing, crowd-sourced record of visible urban change across the world, searchable by location, category, and severity.
What belongs here
Submissions should show visible, verifiable street-level change between two points in time. Good evidence includes:
Closed or boarded-up shops and businesses
Deteriorating buildings or infrastructure
Graffiti, fly-tipping, or general neglect
Roads, pavements, or parks in visible disrepair
Homelessness or visible social decline
Contributor guidelines
Before submitting, check that your evidence meets these standards:
Both links must be from the same location
Before and after years must differ by at least one year
The location must be publicly accessible and verifiable
No private residences without clear public interest
No offensive, misleading, or fabricated submissions
Submissions are reviewed before going live. Poor quality or rule-breaking entries will be rejected.
Frequently asked questions
How do I submit evidence?
Choose Submit. Add the earlier Street View link and year, add the later view of the same place, then confirm the details. Full Google Maps links and official embeds are accepted for review. Your draft stays on this device.
How long does moderation take?
Submissions appear after moderation. Review times vary. Signed-in contributors can check their submissions in their profile.
Do I need an account to submit or rate?
No. You can submit and rate anonymously. Creating an account lets you track your contributions, appear on the leaderboard, and earn a Trusted Contributor badge.
Can I suggest a place without both views?
Yes. Choose Suggest a place in the submission form. Add a Google Maps link and a short note for contributors to investigate.
Why is Street View imagery used instead of photos?
Official Google Maps embeds let visitors check the submitted imagery. Capture date, camera position, weather and image quality can affect a comparison. A selected pair of views does not establish the condition of a whole neighbourhood or the cause of a change.
What do the decline ratings mean?
Visitors choose No decline, Mild decline, Clear decline or Severe decline. These describe the visible evidence in the submitted comparison. Top rated pins require at least three ratings.
Privacy
World Decline Map does not store screenshots or Street View frames. All imagery is loaded live through official Google Maps embeds.
Anonymous ratings are tied to a local browser identity, not your account. If you sign in, your submissions and ratings are linked to your profile. We do not sell or share your data with third parties.
We use a session-scoped pseudonymous identifier to measure visits, evidence views, ratings and shares. Analytics are retained for up to 90 days. Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track signals disable this measurement.
Install DeclineMap
Add DeclineMap to your home screen or desktop from your browser’s Install app menu. On iPhone or iPad, use Safari → Share → Add to Home Screen. Maps and Street View need an internet connection.
Contact
For abuse reports, takedown requests, press enquiries, or general questions, email contact@declinemap.com.
To report a specific pin, use the Report this pin button on the pin itself. This sends it directly to the moderation queue.
Evidence mode
Compare the submitted before and after Street View records.
