In an email sent to users last month, Google revealed that all media reviews will be visible under one profile page starting on June 24, according to TechCrunch.
When this change takes effect, Google will consolidate all user reviews for movies, TV shows, books, albums, and games onto a single profile page. These profiles will be discoverable through Google, potentially resulting in users being categorized based on their preferences.
In 2017, Google initially kicked off the capability to post reviews of movies for users based in India. This feature has over time been rolled out across the world.
In the past year, Google said that the company began making review profiles publicly accessible and searchable in specific areas, beginning with the U.S. and India. The company’s plan now is to extend this accessibility globally by making all profiles public.
A Google spokesperson said, “Profiles make it easier for people to see and manage their reviews of things like movies and TV shows in one place and make reviews more helpful for others. These reviews were already public, and we provide people with control to make their profile private or delete it altogether, along with options to privately edit or delete their reviews.”
When this change takes effect, users can view all posted reviews by clicking on any user profile. According to Google’s statement, in order for users to make their profiles private, the company offers a toggle switch. However, this toggle was not available until this week.
Google defaults all profiles to public visibility. If users are unaware of their review profile or overlook emails from Google that could fall into spam folders in Gmail, their profiles are likely viewable to all.
TechCrunch reported that Google notified users about the ability to conceal profiles using the Google Profile interface. Users also received a notification about the new Google Profile via a pop-up when accessing their current reviews. However, if users are unaware of the new profile, they are unlikely to visit the page. Given that users generally do not revisit their reviews of shows or movies often, Google should enhance its notifications to ensure users are informed about the new page related to their accounts.