Google Maps ratings are not anonymous. When you leave a star rating or review on a business listing, Google attaches your public profile name and photo to that contribution. Business owners see exactly who rated them, and so does anyone else viewing the reviews section. This transparency exists to build accountability and reduce fake or malicious reviews. Your rating appears under the name shown on your Google account. If you use your real name there, that's what displays. If you've set a nickname or initials, that's what shows instead. You cannot leave a rating without it being tied to your account identity in some visible way. The only partial exception is if you leave a star rating without written text, it still shows your name but may be less prominent in the review list since Google often prioritizes written reviews in the display order. Business owners receive notifications when new reviews come in, including the reviewer's name. They can respond publicly to reviews, and many do. At Ottawa SEO, we coach local clients to engage thoughtfully with every review, positive or negative, because that dialogue appears in the public record and influences both rankings and conversion rates. If you're concerned about privacy, your options are limited. You can adjust your Google account name to something less identifying, but you cannot hide it entirely while still leaving reviews. You also cannot delete your review history from public view without removing the reviews themselves. Google designed this system intentionally to discourage review spam and give businesses recourse against unfair ratings. For businesses, this transparency is helpful for spotting patterns. If you notice multiple low ratings from accounts created recently with no other review activity, that's a red flag worth investigating. Google's algorithms also watch for these patterns when determining which reviews to display or filter out. The system isn't perfect, but the lack of anonymity does create friction against the most obvious abuse.