Where is the Online Privacy in Reviewing Sites?

     Nowadays a lot of online review sites are increasing; the new challenge lies on the privacy of the users.  Sites that have reviews are like Yelp or Tripadvisor, have become a great source of information for people that want to try a new restaurant or even are planning a trip.  The information posted in these sites become public, i.e. for everyone to see and read, and in some cases the users disclose “private” information – like relationships, family, etc.

     By doing reviews, customers start inadvertently disclosing private information in their reviews.  Either the customer specifies that they went to a place with family or to celebrate a particular event of their lives or even that they went on a particular date, etc.  To a certain point customers disclose their experience exchanges with the establishments and write everything on a review, leaving this information available for anyone that will search for it.  These reviews are linked to the customers directly, therefore the customer becomes exposed to the establishment or to the world.  There have been cases in which the establishments have attacked these customers via email and even via telephone, especially when the review has been a bad one.  Once the information is out there in the world wide web there is no way of retrieving it or even blocking it.  Once the information is out there, it’s out there for everyone to see.  Where is the online privacy for the users of these sites?  Seems that these sites don't care about online privacy, they just want whatever type of information for their benefit.

     Sites like Yelp have their members put their first names and the first initial of their last name on their profile.  Plus the site also mentions that when the member makes its profile more “credible” meaning putting a real picture of you will make the account a more “real” one.  So much for online privacy, there is no privacy here.  I think that to a point these sites are trying to make the information more credible when the site knows that when they are linked to a real name person and make that person accountable for the information.

     Yelp motto is: Real Reviews, Real People.  Have sites become revealers of who the customers are and make customers feel that the only way to express themselves is by showing their identity?  and make their customers feel they are exposed?  Has society come to a point in which people have to reveal they identities to make their opinions to be considered in the real world?  What will be next?

Article related:

Miyazki, Anthony.  Is "Online Privacy" the Ultimate Oxymoron?

New Tax Laws for Online Food Retailers.....

Internet has changed how we shop and now with the new tax laws, we might even be affected more.  After reading an article from Miyazaki, Will Amazon be the next Walmart?, many questions arise.  Many things have changed since the internet arrived to our lives.  Now tax laws are about to change when purchasing online.  There was no tax charge when one would shop online.  The new tax law in the State of California states to charge as much as 9.75% on internet sales.  This means that consumers will be more aware at the time when shopping.  Consumers will try to find the least expensive way to get an item.  With the new tax law, different taxes will apply to different states.  So the dilemma is, do I shop with an online retailer that is in one state or another? But what about the online retailers that are nationwide in the United States?  How will the new law affect them?  Will it depend on the state that you are purchasing in? or it will depend on the location of the physical business of the retailer?  These are questions that will come to mind when a customer shops online.

Retailers like Omaha Steaks and Harry & David will be affected by them.  How? These online food retailers sell food items over the internet.  Since the creation of internet, the reach for the consumers has gone from local to global.  Will this law change the physical presence of the stores? 

In Florida the Department of Revenue’s Web site says, online purchases are subject to the state’s 6% sales tax, even if the seller does not collect it at the time of purchase.  There is a convenience of shopping online, many people might say that the mall is open 24/7 and you are shopping in pajamas and then having the items delivered to your preferred location.  You would not have anybody bombarding you or a sales person telling you that the item looks great on you.  Online shopping is a new way of shopping without a sales person next to you – yapping.  But still the consumer will be subject to tax charges, free tax haven did not last that much….

What will online shoppers do to get the best deal?  Will this make them shop less online? Now online onsumers have to take into account Sales Tax.

 

Sources

Carrns, Ann. Online Shopping, with Sales Tax Added. April 2013. 

Miyazaki, Anthony. Will Amazon be the next Walmart? New tax laws may be the catalyst. 2013.