22 | SEPTEMBER 5 • 2024 J
N
A
generation ago, if you
experienced bad service
in a restaurant or a dirty
hotel room, you told a few friends
about your unfortunate experience.
It might have influenced their
decision about future
dining choices or
where to stay on
vacation, but the
impact on those
businesses was
insignificant. In
today’s digital age, the
power of the internet
allows users to broadcast their
displeasure to thousands of people
around the world within minutes.
The effects of an online review
cannot be underestimated. Whether
you’re choosing a venue for your
daughter’s wedding, a tour guide
for your family vacation or a new
orthodontist to put braces on your
kids, chances are you’ve consulted
online reviews to help guide your
decision. These reviews have
become an integral part of how we
interact with businesses, yet the
ethical considerations of leaving a
review are often overlooked.
As both a rabbi and the owner
of a technology company that
manages Google reviews, I’ve
given much thought to the Jewish
ethical perspective on this modern
phenomenon.
THE EVOLUTION OF
ONLINE REVIEWS
Online reviews have revolutionized
how consumers make decisions.
Historically, word of mouth and
personal recommendations were the
primary ways people learned about
a business. Today, anyone with
internet access can instantly share
their opinions with the world.
Websites like Google, Yelp and
TripAdvisor have become go-to
sources for evaluating everything
from restaurants and hotels
to doctors’ offices and service
providers.
Businesses understand the
significance of these reviews. A few
negative comments can significantly
hinder a business’ success,
especially if they are unjustified or
exaggerated. Some individuals allow
their pent-up emotions regarding
their less-than-ideal experience to
influence the way they write their
online review. It’s crucial, therefore,
to approach the act of leaving a
review with a sense of responsibility
and ethics. We might not think that
Jewish wisdom weighs in on the
phenomenon of the online review,
but Jewish sages through the ages
have certainly had much to say
about how one’s public opinion can
hinder another business’ interest.
THE IMPACT OF A REVIEW
When you leave a review, you’re not
just expressing
your opinion; you’re influencing
the decisions of countless others.
For businesses, especially small
ones, a negative review can be
detrimental. Restaurants, for
example, are often judged harshly
for minor infractions. A resort
might receive a low rating because
the check-in process was slow,
despite providing a comfortable stay
with wonderful amenities that led
to an enjoyable vacation. Doctors,
whose reputations are critical to
their practice, can be unfairly
criticized over a single interaction.
Service providers and vendors are
also frequently reviewed, and their
livelihoods can be affected by the
words of a dissatisfied customer.
While feedback is important for
growth and improvement, the ethics
of how that feedback is delivered
should be carefully considered.
JEWISH ETHICS AND
ONLINE REVIEWS
In the Jewish tradition, the concept
of ethics in speech is paramount.
The Torah warns against lashon
hara (negative speech), which
includes making derogatory or
harmful comments about others.
While lashon hara typically
refers to speech, the principle
can easily be extended to written
communication, including online
reviews.
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, in his
book A Code of Jewish Ethics,
explains that even truth-telling can
be regarded as lashon hara in cer-
tain contexts.
A bad experience at a store might
have been an isolated incident at an
establishment that usually priori-
tizes the highest level of customer
service. What might have been a
bad day for a store clerk can lead to
a significant loss of revenue for the
business if others read your critical
review without considering that it
was an anomaly and certainly not
the norm for that store.
One important Jewish principle
that should guide us when leaving a
review is dan l’kaf z’chut —
giving the benefit of the doubt. This
means assuming the best in others
and being cautious before passing
judgment.
If your experience with a busi-
ness was generally positive, but one
minor issue didn’t meet your expec-
tations, it may not be ethical to leave
a scathing review. Instead, consider
the overall experience and whether
the issue was significant enough to
warrant a public complaint.
The
Jewish Ethics
of Google
Reviews
OUR COMMUNITY
JEWS IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Rabbi Jason
Miller
just expressing
Jewish Ethics