Google has made it obligatory for Google+ account details to be displayed alongside new reviews of Android apps on its Play store. Previously posts could be submitted anonymously. The move means the reviewer's name and profile photo - if they have one - will appear alongside their entry.
One developer said the change should help address the problem of fake reviews. It may also boost use of the search giant's social network. When users attempt to post a review, they will be presented with a pop-up box notifying them of the new policy. The nicknames that used to appear alongside previous entries have all been deleted and replaced with "A Google User".
Facebook's app centre already requires users to reveal their "real" Facebook identity alongside entries. But Apple, Microsoft, Blackberry and Amazon's equivalents all allow reviewers to use pseudonyms.
Google+'s terms and conditions state that profile names must match"the name your friends, family or co-workers usually call you".
In October, Google announced there were more than 700,000 apps in its store. With so many to choose from, many consumers base their picks on whether the software has a high star rating and the number of people who have reviewed it, One industry watcher said this had given developers an incentive to "game" the results.
Source: BBC News
