Some Glassdoor users are deleting their accounts after the job posting and reviews site started adding their full names to their profiles.
The changes come after Glassdoor integrated with the professional networking platform Fishbowl, which it acquired in 2021.
Glassdoor has since changed its terms of service to require all users to be verified by adding their names and jobs to their profiles. Its help page says it “will never share your personal information without your permission.”
A person’s full name on their profile cannot be seen by others, but users can choose to display their name when posting a review, or remain anonymous.
When new users now sign up to the platform, they are asked to provide their full name, job title and employer. Previously only an email address was required.
Josh Thieler, a longtime Glassdoor user, told Business Insider the changes were a “betrayal of trust” and that he’d closed his account. “I removed my posts and deleted my account to signal to Glassdoor that I will not support their decision to reverse course and destroy the anonymity of tens of millions of workers.”
Glassdoor warns in its privacy policy that, as it collects more personal data about users that is displayed publicly, there could be instances that its mechanisms to protect users’ anonymity “aren’t perfect.”
The privacy policy, which was updated in July, states: “While we take your anonymity extremely seriously, and make our best efforts to ensure that demographic data doesn’t inadvertently lead to your identification, there are instances in which user identification or demographic data disclosure may occur.”
BI saw several posts on social media platforms from users claiming they were deleting their Glassdoor accounts.
Sunguk Moon, CEO of rival platform Blind, told BI he was disappointed to hear what happened to professionals on Glassdoor. “You shouldn’t stop at being semi-anonymous — you have to let professionals be completely anonymous,” he said.
Blind verifies its users with their work email addresses, and doesn’t require them to reveal their real names or identities. All posts are entirely anonymous.
A Glassdoor representative told Ars Technica that users can always “choose to be fully anonymous, or reveal elements of their identity.”
Glassdoor didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.
