Apologies for the bathos to Hamlet and his existential question.
I once wrote a review for my dentist. Then, I felt that I had to ask him to take it down. Reviewing your doctors and dentists might open the door to HIPPA violations. Of course, via ever-on GPS, your smart phone (if you have one) probably tells Apple or Android and all the businesses who track you, --and whoever provides your doctor's or dentist's office free internet-- which health care providers you probably use, but why confirm it?
Apparently, you should never write a review of a hotel until you have checked out of your own free will. Angela Hoy of writersweekly reports on an astonishing allegation that a certain hotel affiliated with the chain famous (or not) for advertisements featuring a large, red-bearded wizard (also a large red-bearded wizard) allegedly called the police and evicted a guest in the middle of the night after she wrote a review that offended management.
When traveling, I write my reviews in email and save them to Draft, if I have the time and motivation. Trip Advisor used to give hotel-review writers ranking and momentary fame for reviews, but it may not be worth the hassle any more.
I no longer write book reviews. As a published alien romance author, with thousands of Facebook friends (last time I looked, which might have been 10 years ago), the chances are 50/50 that Amazon might censor my genuine and honest review of someone else's paperback on the unwarranted suspicion that my integrity might have been suborned by a Facebook friendship.
There is an allegation that Amazon has some very creepy ways, not just regarding censorship, but also regarding privacy. No doubt, anyone who sells advertising cannot be trusted.
When you write a review of a hotel or service or product or practice, your review becomes a part of their advertising. That is: advertising content that you provide free.
Legal blogger Kate Dunnigan for BBB National Programs Inc. offers a business perspective on the use of user-generated reviews, which is interesting for potential review-writers. It also contains good advice for authors who might be tempted to solicit reviews from readers, or to cherry pick the good parts of mixed reviews.
https://bbbprograms.org/media-center/blog-details/insights/2021/06/23/product-reviews-in-advertising
Apparently, if one requests a favorable review, and includes an offer such as inclusion in a sweepstakes for a valuable chance to win a prize, or a coupon valid against a future purchase, the existence of an incentive ought to be disclosed when publishing the glowing reviews.
All the best.
Rowena Cherry
SPACE SNARK™
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