Negative feedback and trolling

[EdwardHore]

We have all seen the outcomes of negative feedback, I have seen businesses close their doors because of it. And I have seen people reduced to tears.

Recently I posted a direct threat to cyclists on my LinkedIn account, why did I do that? The post was made by a 1st degree contact. Someone in IT and with a similar history to me and yet he has decided that people on bikes should be knocked off them with 'a full bottle of beer' - the response from the motoring lobby page was just as disgusting, but they are anonymous and untouchable as long as Facebook protect page owners with obscurity.

<IMAGE REMOVED>

Attitudes that need to change

The question being raised is that I am fairly easy to find, my business is a small business and is listed next to my name. So now I have negative feedback because his friends took offence to the fact I don't want to die on the road from a bottle thrown from a car. I don't want my friends or my family to die... well in fact I don't want anyone to die.

So this negative feedback exists from people I don't know and have never been customers, is it fair for people to be able to do this? Should anything 3 stars or less come with a minimum number of characters in comments before it can be accepted?

Negative feedback is used as online bullying by proxy, it is an anonymous way to attack someones business when they have done nothing wrong.

In the case of <NAME REMOVED>, I want him psychiatrically assessed, I don't want him fired, I don't hate the guy, but I would like to see him apologize and show empathy towards fellow human beings.

My last question is directly to Google Maps... Does Google Maps support fake reviews? Can't Google assist with removing these more timely, it is easy to geographically test if the person was a customer, and easy to get proof from the business.

[PaulPavlinovich]

Hi @EdwardHore sorry you've had a bad experience but those comments and ratings don't seem to be on Google Maps which is the only thing we could help you with. If you have fake reviews on Maps you have an element of control through Google My Business https://business.google.com/ as long as you've claimed your business. Please note that if your business is online only as your name suggests it should not be on Maps.

Regards Paul

[NadyaPN]

Hi @EdwardHore,

I'm sorry to learn about this upsetting situation, but unfortunately there's not much we can do about it. Your feedback about ratings and reviews is appreciated and I will pass this part on to the appropriate team.

However, I want to let you know that as per our Local Guides program rules and Local Guides community policy, you shouldn't disclose personal information publicly on Connect (names, phone numbers, emails etc.) and you also shouldn't participate as a business or an organization. I edited your message because of the former reason and would kindly ask you to change your account name because of the latter.

[EdwardHore]

Hi @NadyaPN,

Thank you for your help and as per your suggestion I have changed my name to reflect me.

I hope to see Google preserve itself and become better, stronger and more reliable than Facebook, hence why I moved away from using that platform, but fake reviews and fake accounts will ensure that this doesn't happen and people will continue to look for something better.

All I can think of is two things, "A lie will travel the world before the truth has time to put its shoes on" - Mark Twain

And "People that are anonymous will troll" - Edward Hore.

Have a great weekend.

[EdwardHore]

Hi @PaulPavlinovich
Being new to here, I am not sure what you mean by "Please note that if your business is online only as your name suggests it should not be on Maps."
I have changed my name as was requested, but the reviews are still on my page.
I am trying to connect everything in order to make something unique, I have a grand scheme goal here. Fortunately, a number of people know this and hopefully I will have something unique enough for people to really enjoy and get behind.

Have a great weekend... And thanks for your feedback

[EdwardHore]

I guess what I am trying to say is not just to protect me but to protect all users of this platform. If you want to leave negative feedback, you should be required to say why.

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[PaulPavlinovich]

Hi @EdwardHore what I meant by online business is that online only businesses shouldn't be on Maps because Maps is about physical places. I noticed on Maps that your business is a house. If your business has opening hours and people can go there because you run a home office that people can visit then that's ok.

Regards Paul

[EdwardHore]

@PaulPavlinovich, Three offices, a studio, and a parking area. I think it qualifies 🙂

[PaulPavlinovich]

Yep definitely @EdwardHore - I run a home office for my photography but don't want visitors so I'm not on Maps 🙂

[EdwardHore]

I wish I had that option, but we run a not-for-profit and my IT business, plus we are moving to this new platform so media is important to us, so we get lots of business visitors.

But as you can see by my actions on here, there are a bunch of features I am trying to get working ASAP.

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@PaulPavlinovich wrote:

Yep definitely @EdwardHore - I run a home office for my photography but don't want visitors so I'm not on Maps 🙂

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