The well-known website Glassdoor, which working people use to research companies and get evaluations, is under investigation over claims that it violates user privacy. The website, which is renowned for guaranteeing reviewers' anonymity, is facing criticism for supposedly revealing the names of those who provide comments about their employers.

According to Ars Technica, the incident started when Monica, a software expert from the Midwest, discovered that her actual identity was posted on her Glassdoor page without her permission. Longtime platform user Monica expressed amazement and dismay at seeing her identify revealed, even though she had expected to remain anonymous.

Her experience revealed a change in policy brought about by Glassdoor's 2021 acquisition of the professional networking platform Fishbowl. Fishbowl's need for user authentication prompted Glassdoor to amend its terms of service to include a similar requirement for verification. This modification may jeopardize the platform's established policy of maintaining user anonymity.

Concerns regarding user privacy and the fallout have been raised by the occurrence, particularly for people who fear that their employers may take adverse action against them for leaving unfavorable evaluations. In a blog post, Monica advised other users to think about removing their accounts and forewarned them about Glassdoor's privacy violations. Even when she tried to delete her data, which may take up to 30 days, she ran into difficulties.

Glassdoor told Monica that her identity would not be compromised, claiming that neither employers nor other parties would be able to view the specifics of her profile. Monica was unwavering in her resolve to remove her account in spite of these guarantees, not wanting to take the chance of having her actual identity associated with her evaluations.

"When a user provides information, either during the sign-up process or by uploading a resume, that information will automatically cross-populate between all Glassdoor services, including our community app Fishbowl," said Amanda Livingood, vice president of corporate communications at Glassdoor, in a statement to Wired.Remaining anonymous is always an option while utilizing Fishbowl and Glassdoor. When utilizing our community service, users have the option to remain completely anonymous or to disclose certain aspects of their identify, such as their work title or business name.