Addition of Glassdoor User’s Name to Profile Raises Privacy Concerns

The reported addition of a Glassdoor user’s name to her profile for the website, where workers post anonymous reviews of their employers, has stoked fears that its website users’ anonymity could be compromised.

However, Glassdoor told Ars Technica that “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.” We’ve gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other outlets.

User Concerns

A user of Glassdoor claimed Glassdoor collected and added her name to her user profile without her consent after she responded to a support email. When she asked to have her name removed, she was reportedly told she would have to delete her Glassdoor account. She said her anonymity might not last if Glassdoor was to experience a hack or a data breach that compromised users’ data.

Aaron Mackey, an attorney with the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation in San Francisco, said Glassdoor has been an industry leader in defending users’ anonymity. “We hope that Glassdoor will continue to defend its users’ anonymity in court,” he said. “But the latest news regarding Glassdoor’s policies raises concerns about whether users may be identified even if their information is never sought by an employer or law enforcement. Those policies also appear to conflict with, or at least be in tension with, Glassdoor’s goal of encouraging employees to candidly review their employers.”

(TechCrunch and Fast Company)

Handling Negative Reviews

No matter how well-regarded a company is or how big the brand, a company will inevitably have to deal with negative reviews. Transparency is important in the social media environment; the world is watching, especially when the comments are negative.

While being transparent even in the face of scathing criticism is important, when comments are false or misleading, seeking their removal can be wise. Even employers without confidentiality agreements can take action when posts are potentially defamatory. When employee comments rise beyond opinion and reflect false statements about the company, that may be grounds for a defamation claim.

(SHRM Online)

Glassdoor’s Acquisition of Fishbowl

Following Glassdoor’s acquisition of the networking app Fishbowl, if someone has a Glassdoor account, they also now have a Fishbowl account. The latter requires a real name, while the former does not. However, the information is not presented publicly on a user’s Glassdoor profile, but instead is stored in the back end. By default, employers shouldn’t be able to find that information.

(Mashable)

Sign-Up Process Changed

Glassdoor has also changed its sign-up process to ask people to disclose their full name, job title and employer. Historically, it had required email addresses, but not names. “Entering your real name is required to verify your profile, but other users won’t see your name unless you choose to share it,” a pop-up says.

Glassdoor’s terms cite the risk that “Glassdoor cannot guarantee your anonymity,” as a company or department’s size, the content posted and the user’s location may allow employers to infer who left a review. “You should understand this risk before submitting content to the services,” the terms state.

(Wired)

Glassdoor Says It Defends Users’ Anonymity

“We vigorously defend our users’ right to anonymous free speech and will appear in court to oppose and defeat requests for user information,” a Glassdoor spokesperson said. “In fact, courts have almost always ruled in favor of Glassdoor and its users when we’ve fought to protect their anonymity. With the addition of Fishbowl’s community features to Glassdoor, our commitment to user privacy remains ironclad, and we will continue to defend our users from employers who seek to unmask their identity.”

(Ars Technica)