Google's newish Review Policy :mad:

frost · 08-05-2012, 03:19 PM

I went to review a new restaurant today and saw that google had changed its policy and is now requiring us to post our full names to the internet when leaving a review. Oh, cool, guess I just won't be reviewing anything ever again through Google. This guy sums it up pretty well:

Quote:

Google ruins Places

Google doesn’t get social. They really, really don’t get it. I’ve come to realize this because of the latest update to Google Places.

I’ve been a fairly frequent user of Google Places since it was launched. It used to be great—tap restaurants, get a list of restaurants nearby. Select one, get directions, menus, opening hours. Once there, enter a quick review and rate the place. No more.

Today I went to find a restaurant for an impromptu gathering and the Places icon had entirely disappeared from my phone. After flailing around the menu for a while, I noticed an icon that looked like Places, but was labeled Local. Tapping it brought up Google Maps, in a mode that looked somewhat like Places.

The moving and renaming of the app wasn’t the big problem, though. The big problem came after lunch, when I went to post a quick rating of the restaurant we had chosen.

“With Google+ Local, all your reviews and photos are visible to everyone on the web”, Maps informed me. Yes, because Google is desperate to push Google+, the entire Places application has been subsumed into Google+. Since I’m one of the minority who actually use Google+, you might think I’d welcome this. But you’d be wrong, because the app went on to say:

Your name [full name here] will be visible with your reviews and photos to…

Anyone who views your profile on Google+
Anyone who searches for places, if they’ve added you to their Google+ circles
Anyone who views places you’ve reviewed

The first two, I have no problem with. But that last one, demanding that anyone who posts a review does so under their full name (and attached to their profile photo), is stupidly wrong.

There’s a reason why restaurant critics often don’t put their full name and photo at the top of their review columns. If you want honest reviews, then allowing pseudonyms is an important tool.

Yes, some sites (like Yelp) have allegedly had problems with unscrupulous business owners anonymously trashing other businesses; but demanding full names won’t stop that. The unscrupulous will simply generate a WASPonym account and use that to post trashing reviews.

What Google’s full name policy will stop is honest but somewhat negative reviews from actual customers who value their privacy.

Zagat understood this. The Zagat guides removed identity information when compiling their reviews. But then Google bought Zagat, and now you can see historical Zagat reviews, but you can’t submit a review unless you consent to having your full name splashed all over the restaurant’s reviews page. You can’t even review a place just for friends. Historical anonymous and pseudonymous reviews have been republished under the name “A Google User”, but someone high up has clearly dictated that pseudonyms and anonymity will no longer be permitted. I’m guessing Vic Gundotra, the VP responsible for setting Google+ name policy.

Last year we were told Google had learned from its mistakes, but I’m really not seeing any evidence of that. It seems as though Google is going to keep strongarming people into publishing their full names all over the Internet, at least as long as Gundotra is in charge.

MMC Racing · 08-05-2012, 03:56 PM

shadoquad · 08-05-2012, 05:14 PM

I agree. This is bullsh1t. They're trying to get youtube users to post real names as well.

Look, I realize that trolls and morons hide behind anonymity, but so do a lot of decent people. I shouldn't have to sacrifice my privacy just because I want to give a good review for a business or give props to a video. Google is doing whatever it can to do away with privacy and anonymity on the internet. While most people are simply ok with throwing their personal information all over the place online, not everyone agrees, and not everyone should be forced to.

Younger generations probably don't understand.

MMC Racing · 08-05-2012, 05:33 PM

I best place for referrals are your online social networks, not anonymous posts. I place very little value on the opinion of someone I don't know.

shadoquad · 08-05-2012, 06:48 PM

But when names are attached, people hold back to protect their image.

MMC Racing · 08-05-2012, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadoquad

But when names are attached, people hold back to protect their image.

If you aren't willing to put your name on your opinion, then I don't care for it anyway.

shadoquad · 08-05-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMC Racing

If you aren't willing to put your name on your opinion, then I don't care for it anyway.

lol ok then.

So it's not possible to get to know people unless you know their real name? Fair enough, I don't know you, therefore your opinion is invalid. Change your user name to your actual name, so that I may respect what you have to say on the topic

If people are to be held to the fire for all of their opinions, then they won't dare to post unpopular opinions. They will hide from social pressures. Not everyone, but some.

Personally, I think the benefits of anonymous reviews far outweigh the occasional troll or paid reviewer.

MMC Racing · 08-05-2012, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadoquad

lol ok then.

So it's not possible to get to know people unless you know their real name? Fair enough, I don't know you, therefore your opinion is invalid. Change your user name to your actual name, so that I may respect what you have to say on the topic

If people are to be held to the fire for all of their opinions, then they won't dare to post unpopular opinions. They will hide from social pressures. Not everyone, but some.

Personally, I think the benefits of anonymous reviews far outweigh the occasional troll or paid reviewer.

I hear your argument, but what will the repercussions be for posting your opinion under your real name about some restaurant you tried that sucked and you'll never go back to again anyway? Let’s get real here.

Now if we are talking about expressing political or religious views, then I could see some legitimate backlash by some extremists.

shadoquad · 08-05-2012, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMC Racing

I hear your argument, but what will the repercussions be for posting your opinion under your real name about some restaurant you tried that sucked and you'll never go back to again anyway? Let’s get real here.

Now if we are talking about expressing political or religious views, then I could see some legitimate backlash by some extremists.

What if I like going somewhere that people don't approve of? What if I really detest somewhere that is madly popular? I should feel no social pressure to stifle my opinion, even if it offends others. There is no reason to tie online reviews to people's personal information.

Seems like more and more, folks are bound to the opinion that if you're online in any sense, you should be comfortable giving all of your information out freely to everyone, and that's not something that I agree with. I believe that people should be free to speak online without everyone needing to know where they live, what their interests are, etc. You don't need to know all that to know what I think about a restaurant.

MMC Racing · 08-05-2012, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadoquad

What if I like going somewhere that people don't approve of? What if I really detest somewhere that is madly popular? I should feel no social pressure to stifle my opinion, even if it offends others. There is no reason to tie online reviews to people's personal information.

If you feel social pressures for these reasons, you need to get a new "social".

shadoquad · 08-05-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMC Racing

If you feel social pressures for these reasons, you need to get a new "social".

We will not agree on these points. I tire of arguing this point with people like you.

I do not need you to see into every aspect of my life for me to say that I enjoy or dislike a restaurant, but I should be allowed to make comment on that, whether or not you value that opinion, because others may. Have you never received anonymous help in your life? Forget it, I don't care. Continue with your belief, and I will continue with mine. Too many people no longer value their privacy.

MMC Racing · 08-05-2012, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadoquad

We will not agree on these points. I tire of arguing this point with people like you.

I do not need you to see into every aspect of my life for me to say that I enjoy or dislike a restaurant, but I should be allowed to make comment on that, whether or not you value that opinion, because others may. Have you never received anonymous help in your life? Forget it, I don't care. Continue with your belief, and I will continue with mine. Too many people no longer value their privacy.

Your point is weird because we are talking about a name here. Not your SS#, DOB, eye color, etc. Do you use a credit card in public? Do you realize you are giving that checker your name AND credit card number?

For people that "value their privacy", all they need to do is not post and sit at home with the tin hat on.

shadoquad · 08-05-2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMC Racing

Your point is weird because we are talking about a name here. Not your SS#, DOB, eye color, etc. Do you use a credit card in public? Do you realize you are giving that checker your name AND credit card number?

For people that "value their privacy", all they need to do is not post and sit at home with the tin hat on.

Ok, as I've said, please go change your user name to your real name and your avatar to your picture. I mean, it's not like you're putting your SSN out there, or your DOB or eye color.

Why are you so afraid, posting behind your "MMC Racing" tin foil hat?

MMC Racing · 08-05-2012, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadoquad

Ok, as I've said, please go change your user name to your real name and your avatar to your picture. I mean, it's not like you're putting your SSN out there, or your DOB or eye color.

Why are you so afraid, posting behind your "MMC Racing" tin foil hat?

Your suggestion is simplistic. I have my facebook account linked to a number of discussion forums and post under my full name. I have no problem with that.

Also, it would take 5 seconds to look up my screen name and find it is a domain name - with my name and address on it. If I really cared to be anonymous, I wouldn't use anything with a connection.

Next?

shadoquad · 08-05-2012, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMC Racing

Your suggestion is simplistic. I have my facebook account linked to a number of discussion forums and post under my full name. I have no problem with that.

Also, it would take 5 seconds to look up my screen name and find it is a domain name - with my name and address on it. If I really cared to be anonymous, I wouldn't use anything with a connection.

Next?

Ok, link plz? Because all I see is MMC Racing. What's your real name? Oh, right, I don't honestly care. It's none of my business.

And just because you're an exhibitionist, that doesn't mean that everyone is as loose or careless with their identity as you are. But you'll posit that everyone should be. Because your opinion must obviously be shared by everyone or else they're some paranoid loonie.

Edit: Again, though, this argument is futility. I will not change your mind, and you will not change mine. I am going to simply and respectfully disagree.

08-05-2012, 03:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
MMC Racing Track Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 661 Drives: 2015 GT-R Rep Power: 17	__________________ 2014 F150 Raptor, 2014 Mazda 3, 2015 Nissan GT-R

08-05-2012, 05:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
MMC Racing Track Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 661 Drives: 2015 GT-R Rep Power: 17	I best place for referrals are your online social networks, not anonymous posts. I place very little value on the opinion of someone I don't know. __________________ 2014 F150 Raptor, 2014 Mazda 3, 2015 Nissan GT-R

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08-05-2012, 05:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
shadoquad A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: . Posts: 42,608 Drives: . Rep Power: 3886	I agree. This is bullsh1t. They're trying to get youtube users to post real names as well. Look, I realize that trolls and morons hide behind anonymity, but so do a lot of decent people. I shouldn't have to sacrifice my privacy just because I want to give a good review for a business or give props to a video. Google is doing whatever it can to do away with privacy and anonymity on the internet. While most people are simply ok with throwing their personal information all over the place online, not everyone agrees, and not everyone should be forced to. Younger generations probably don't understand.

08-05-2012, 06:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
shadoquad A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: . Posts: 42,608 Drives: . Rep Power: 3886	But when names are attached, people hold back to protect their image.