I was asked by a few of my local restaurants/businesses/apartments to leave them a review online. I would really like to support them but I don’t want to have my review traced back to me especially for Google reviews.
Even if I use a pseudonym, can’t I still be tracked since all of the restaurants or businesses or apartments I review are in a specific location? Even if I have a VPN I mean how hard would it be to figure out “you post a lot of reviews for restaurants in gotham city you must live in gotham city.”
And it’s nearly impossible to get a Google account without a legitimate phone number. Anyone else have success with this or you just don’t leave reviews?
You could try making a post about the business on social media. That could be better than a review?
A follow up question I have is: what and from from whom you’re trying to stay private or even anonymous? Are you trying to ensure the establishment doesn’t know who you are? Whom are you trying to safeguard from being tracked?
In my view, if you want to leave a review, you can pseudonymously. It can be private enough but won’t be anonymous because the review platform may still know who you are.
I personally don’t leave reviews. My repeated visits to the establishment is how I like to show my appreciation.
@Expert4870 I don’t use social media for privacy reasons. Do you have platforms in mind for something like this?
@DigitalAutonomy Trying to safeguard myself from the public more than anything. I don’t care if a restaurant finds out I’m sure they can figure it out from my review. Something like a landlord or even a company you work for I wouldn’t want to know my identity.
Sure except online reviews is a big deal for local business and their branding and marketing. Your support alone coming in isn’t going to keep their doors open.
If that’s the case, then you need privacy. Not anonymity. It’s unnecessary to go overboard without cause.
If you need a Google account or whatnot, you can always make one with different name even though you may need to verify your number. And then use that account for all your pseudonymous needs.
In this case, only Google may infer that it’s your account even if you’re using a different name.