Google is making all user reviews for movies, TV shows, books, albums, and games visible under a single profile page starting June 24. These profiles are also searchable via Google searches, potentially leading to users being profiled based on their preferences.
Initially launched in 2017 for India-based users to post movie reviews, this feature has since expanded globally. Last year, Google made review profiles public and searchable in some regions, starting with the U.S. and India. Now, all profiles are public globally according to an email sent to users and shared by Gagan Ghotra .
Users can click on any profile to view all posted reviews. Although Google provides a toggle to make profiles private, this option was only made available recently. According to a Google spokesperson, profiles aim to make it easier for users to manage their reviews and make them more helpful for others. Users have control to make their profile private, delete it, or privately edit or delete their reviews.
Default Public Profiles
By default, all profiles are public. If users are unaware of their profile page or miss notifications from Google, their reviews will be visible to everyone. Google has notified users about the hiding profile control via the Google Profile interface and pop-ups on existing reviews. However, users who are unaware of the new profile page are unlikely to visit it.
Searchable profiles could be used by potential employers to gauge the opinions of future employees, affecting hiring decisions. Additionally, advertisers could scrape this data to serve targeted ads to users.
How to Hide Your Profile
To make your profile private:
- Go to profile.google.com
- Click/tap on the three-dot menu next to your profile name
- Select "Profile Options"
- Turn on the Profile Privacy toggle
