[eesmith]

There are many things here, some of which are clearly Google's "fault".

There is the incorrect neighborhood assignment by Pitney Bowes. I believe that is the fault you are referring to.

There is Google's choice to use Pitney Bowes instead of a (possibly more correct but expensive) data source, or instead of doing it themselves (also more expensive).

There is Google's decision to handle error reporting through means which - according to the article - may be disadvantageous for neighborhoods where 25% are senior citizens and 40% lack internet access.

There is Google's choice to not reveal where the data comes from, making it harder for others to figure out the root source of the error. Consider if you are denied an apartment rental because you failed a credit check, and the rental agency refuses to tell you where they got the data, and the credit agencies all refuse to tell you where they got the data. How would you correct any data which wasn't accurate in your eyes?