Gone are the days of leaving anonymous review on the Google Play Store. Now, Google’s application store show Google+ profile photos and names on reviews, so no longer can users hide behind some made up user name. Google rolled out a similar feature on YouTube where users could opt to use their real name from Google+ when uploading videos, and now that same feature has arrived on Google Play.
Any review left on Google Play will feature your real name, or at least, the name you used when you signed up for your Google+ account. This should help keep users’ reviews more honest since they are no longer using an anonymous username. It could work the other way, where people reading the reviews might trust them more since they can see the name and photo of the reviewer.
This change applies to both the mobile and browser-based versions of Google Play. This means there is no escape, if you want to leave a review, you will be doing it with a Google+ profile. If you have no left a review since the change went into effect, you will receive a message stating, “From now on, reviews you write will be posted publicly using your Google+ name and picture.”
One last thing to note is that, unlike YouTube, this does not appear to be optional. For people who prefer anonymity online, this is probably not going to make you too happy. However, as long as you are not the type who liked to troll Google Play reviews, this should not be a big deal.
[via SlashGear]
I don’t like this. I don’t want my last name showing up on a financial app, and an identity thief knowing exactly where to hack me. They could at least just use an initial for the last name.
Then don’t review the app, or use a sock puppet account to review it.
still.. where’s the opt out?
don’t like it as well, should be an optional choice. maybe they want me to delete my Google+ account
What protects us from questionable devs? If they can see us, we should be able to see the devs! Terrible double standard.
I typically warn people (via GPS reviews) of apps that have sketchy permissions – like games that want contact book access, or apps that pull “switcheroos” by adding tons of permissions and ads at a latter time (See: Disney).. What’s to keep a dev from harassing a legitimate negative reviewer?
Not to mention, Google has no way of permanently disabling Google+ AFAIK. Accidently clicked a G+ button? You just reactivated your G+ account! Bad move, Google.
I never had a G+ account, and never will. So I will just never again review an app.
This is disgusting, I will never review an app when my personal information is being made publicly available to any troll who wants to abuse me for disagreeing with them. Google just gets worse and worse
I think Big Brother and The Patriot Act are the real reason giants like Google are trying to crush anonymity. Back in 90’s when I was in college I took my first computer class and the first thing they taught was internet security 101. Never ever EVER give away your real name or geographical location to someone on the internet. Back then that was just basic common sense. Today, not so much. Probably because today’s generation grew up with this technology and they don’t know better. It boggles my mind how many people use their real name in their email address, start up a Facebook account, keep their wall public, friend random people they don’t know, and post pics of their children knowing pedophiles troll social media. Does it not bother people to be stalked by some freak who latched onto them? Would you mind them emailing you a pic of your place from the outside every time you moved? Would you mind your employer hacking your timeline and viewing every single thing you’ve ever posted? My employer only allows the use of social media if we follow corporate policy the same as if we were at work. As in, you can’t swear, post anything sexually suggestive, or post political opinions. These rules aren’t for on the clock but OFF the clock. I’ll be damned if anyone is going to micromanage my private life. A friend once said to me, how can you keep track of your friends if they don’t know who you are on here? My response was, if you need social media to keep up with your friends then they’re not really your friends. My real friends know how to reach me. Quit posting articles like this that perpetuate the idea it’s OK to give up your privacy. Privacy is your constitutional right.