Google Rating Review

In positive and welcome news, as recently reported in The Age, Google will remove existing reviews and ratings of schools and disable the ability for users to submit new ones. This decision offers important protection for schools and staff from coordinated review-bombing campaigns that can unjustly damage reputations.

Online reviews are often shaped by isolated incidents or individual biases and may not reflect the broader school environment. They tend to amplify negative experiences disproportionately and can mislead prospective families or the wider community.

Unlike commercial businesses, schools are complex institutions whose effectiveness is shaped by a wide range of factors—such as curriculum, pedagogy, school culture, and community engagement.  Such factors cannot be meaningfully captured in simplified rating systems. In contrast to rigorous, regulated assessments conducted by education authorities, Google reviews lack transparency, consistency, and accountability.

While this is a commendable step by Google, there remains concern that some individuals may shift to other social media platforms to share unbalanced or inflammatory commentary.