Negativity is the Massage On Online Reviews, Public Spaces, Trust, and Collective Resistance

Rating functions have become prevalent in most digital systems. They overlay our cities, our stores, and our daily experiences with a flood of recommendations and warnings. We are told this reviewing behaviour promotes high quality services. Going beyond that, online ratings and review comments shape our perception and experience of offline spaces and services. They influence our choice of restaurants, doctors, and products. On the Internet, any customer can become a reviewer, any tourist can become a guide. Dining out gives anybody the power to play restaurant critic.
Google Maps’ online platform can be used to “add” places, and to review places added by others. Every beach, public square or hairdresser can be rated and reviewed on this platform, using the standard scale of 1-to-5 stars (5 stars being the highest of praise, 1 the lowest). While positive reviews may help raise the value of properties and businesses, they also raise expectations. This space of expectations fosters a special kind of negativity that characterizes review systems.