First of all I would like to say that I love Google. I really trust it, probably more than I should. I don't know if it was marketing, or the fact that I got into it at such a young age, or if being one of the first to get a Gmail address back during beta but I love Google all the same. That being said I question how much we can really trust the reviews that are on Google, especially now that they've changed the reward system yet again. Of course I really wasn't ever doing it for any kind of rewarding other than maybe the Google drive space but I was a little late on that one. Before they changed the rewards program the levels and what not I was reviewing places on their own Merit, virtually everywhere I went. Now I find that I'm only giving reviews that we're really really excellent or terrible and not anything in between. I'm betting that a lot of other folks feel the same kind of way about it, I know that I spend nearly the time that I used to reviewing and posting pictures and what not. I understand why Google would change the reward system, I mean they are business after all, but it got me to thinking if Google isn't rewarding people for points or levels or for being Google local guides - how can we be sure of the validity of the reviews. I'm sure most of you on here have more than one Google account, I know I have a bunch, not for any nefarious purpose I just like to keep stuff segmented and separated. What I have noticed is local businesses offering rewards for good reviews on Google where else where even but mostly Google. I was even tempted it one time to do so just for a free drink or something like that but I just didn't think it would be ethical. Which leads me to my final thought, I love to help people as I'm sure we all do who are local guides, but well maybe not all of us and that's the point - it certainly seems that since Google has changed the rewards program the retailers have stepped up and been begin to offer the rewards and I wonder how far they're taking that and how much moderation of the reviews Google is actually doing. I had a friend recently told me that he was offered a job just doing positive reviews for I'm not even going to name the place but it's a place I no longer Patron. I'm sure they believe, and buy a they, I mean Google, that incentivizing reviews was counter-intuitive, and I'm sure there's things in place to stop people from doing that but it's happening so whatever they're doing is not working. I just wonder if anyone else has the same concerns, I just felt like I trusted the reviews themselves more whenever people are getting rewarded by Google instead of the merchants for review, and they're certainly more honest reviews when they're being rewarded by Google.
Personally I would never engage or condone any such activity is posting a false review, it's practically like lying to the world. But there's a problem here for sure when legitimate reviewers such and such as myself aren't taking the time that they used to, and people are paying local guides for good reviews. Thoughts comments I love to get some feedback on this period and in full disclosure I did it one time get a month subscription to the New York Times online from Google as a reward for contributing but I never actually used it other than to just sign in one time.
2022
