‘Please leave feedback’: how constant online reviews are changing our brains – and our lives
We live under mutual surveillance, asked to leave public ratings for every purchase, meal, taxi ride or hair appointment. What is it doing to us?‘Alexlilly1999* has left you feedback!” pings the Vinted notification. My stomach flips as the app loads and I open my review: “Quite good.” A gut punch. I sit in shock, scrutinising the words in front of me. “Good” is a bit uninspired but “quite” feels both passive-aggressive and viciously spiteful: quite good. Alexlilly1999 has also given me just four stars. It’s a lukewarm write-up considering the dress I sold them was good quality, a brilliant price and shipped quickly. I glare at the review. And then another notification pops up: do I want to leave feedback for the buyer? Well, yes, actually, I do.It’s likely we’ve all, at some stage, been asked to leave feedback online. Called your electricity provider with a query? Please answer a few quick questions about the service you received. Had something delivered by a courier? Please rate your experience. Often, the promise of prizes – from £200 worth of high street vouchers, to spa trips and luxury hampers – is dangled in exchange for our appraisals. We’re asked to judge the people who serve us coffee; drive us in taxis; cut our hair; extract our teeth. A friend of a friend was recently asked to leave feedback for an interview process just moments after the company had rejected them for the role. Continue reading...
We live under mutual surveillance, asked to leave public ratings for every purchase, meal, taxi ride or hair appointment. What is it doing to us?
‘Alexlilly1999* has left you feedback!” pings the Vinted notification. My stomach flips as the app loads and I open my review: “Quite good.” A gut punch. I sit in shock, scrutinising the words in front of me. “Good” is a bit uninspired but “quite” feels both passive-aggressive and viciously spiteful: quite good. Alexlilly1999 has also given me just four stars. It’s a lukewarm write-up considering the dress I sold them was good quality, a brilliant price and shipped quickly. I glare at the review. And then another notification pops up: do I want to leave feedback for the buyer? Well, yes, actually, I do.
It’s likely we’ve all, at some stage, been asked to leave feedback online. Called your electricity provider with a query? Please answer a few quick questions about the service you received. Had something delivered by a courier? Please rate your experience. Often, the promise of prizes – from £200 worth of high street vouchers, to spa trips and luxury hampers – is dangled in exchange for our appraisals. We’re asked to judge the people who serve us coffee; drive us in taxis; cut our hair; extract our teeth. A friend of a friend was recently asked to leave feedback for an interview process just moments after the company had rejected them for the role. Continue reading...
