by Glassdoor’s whole pitch has always been to anonymously trash talk their employers – but the site has now updated its policies and started adding real names without consent, angering users.
As Ars Technica reports, one Glassdoor user discovered this unfortunate change while trying to take down her own information.
Hearing about a real-name policy enacted since the company acquired LinkedIn competitor Fishbowl, which requires user verification, Monica – pseudonym Ars used to protect her identity — she began looking into deleting her account or taking down her information to protect her true identity.
Monica contacted Glassdoor for support, and was shocked to find that instead of helping her get her information down, the company replaced her account with her real name, despite her repeated requests to employees customer support to do otherwise.
Deleting an account, Monica learned, will not remove reviews or identifying information. The only way to do that is with a takedown request, which Glassdoor support told her could take up to 30 days.
“Since we require all users to have their names on their profiles, we will need to update your profile to reflect this,” a Glassdoor employee told Monica in an email reviewed by Ars. msgstr “Your anonymity will still be protected.”
While those reassurances may have convinced users that they were less privacy-conscious, experts worry that Glassdoor’s database of corporate speech could be used to punish employees.
Neither possibility is far-fetched. Glassdoor is already they were legally forced to fire employees who left negative reviews. And who could forget life-destroying hacks like when Ashley Madison, a site for cheating spouses, got all his data stolen and leaked publicly.
“When a user provides information, either during the sign-up process or by uploading a resume, that information will automatically be cross-communityed between all Glassdoor services, including our Fishbowl community app,” a spokesperson said Glassdoor Ars. “When using Glassdoor and Fishbowl, there is always the option to remain anonymous. Users can choose to be completely anonymous or reveal aspects of their identity, such as a company name or job title, and our community service using them.”
After this story was published, Glassdoor followed up with another statement that also didn’t address the concerns about harassment or subpoenas.
“Glassdoor is committed to providing a platform for people to share their opinions and experiences about their jobs and companies, anonymously – without fear of intimidation or retaliation,” they said. “User reviews on Glassdoor are always and will always be anonymous. In the Glassdoor community, users have the option to post with their name or post anonymously with their company name or job title. Glassdoor will not and will not reveal a user’s name side by side. their content, unless the user so chooses.”
Aaron Mackey, attorney for the digital rights non-profit Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Ars Glassdoor has historically had a good track record of protecting user privacy. Since Fishbowl was acquired in 2021 and the semi-anonymous networking app’s user verification policies were enacted last summer, however, it appears to have changed its mind.
“If the purpose of Glassdoor is really to empower employees to talk openly about a variety of things that might happen in their work,” Mackey said, “that could have your name associated with it, and no you have no choice but to provide Glassdoor with a real name is a problem.”
“This is a matter of concern, if the way they are operating their business now proves that people could be identified, regardless of whether they are sued or not,” he said. Wired in a separate interview.
Today, Glassdoor requires new users to sign up for Fishbowl as well — and, as Monica discovered, deleting an account on both sites is a real pain.
The only way to delete her Fishbowl account, as Glassdoor support explained, is to “download the Fishbowl app and log in with a social link, your work email or phone number to access your account.”
Ultimately, she was able to delete her account without providing any more information using a form she found in the site’s “help” section.
In short, her experience shows how changing data practices can make users less safe online, even exposing them to potential employer retaliation.
“Glassdoor now needs your real name and will add it to older accounts without your consent if they learn it, and your only option is to delete your account,” Monica warned in a blog post about experience, as mentioned by Ars.
Additionally, there is always the possibility that a user’s identity could be revealed depending on what is included in their review, submitted anonymously or not.
“You acknowledge that Glassdoor cannot guarantee your anonymity,” the company warns in its terms of use. msgstr “You should understand this risk before submitting Content to the services.”
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