Anonymity has always been a mixed blessing for online interactions, and now thanks to Google it no longer has a place in the Google Play store.

On Tuesday, Google changed the way in which ratings and reviews work on Google Play and now requires users to have a Google+ page in order to leave a rating or review.

Additionally, where reviews previously displayed an arbitrary name chosen by a user, they will now display a link to a user's Google+ profile along with their name and picture.

What's in a name?

Meanwhile, the names from all previous reviews have been removed and replaced by the generic placeholder "A Google User".



This change comes as a result of Google’s decision to integrate all of its products and will ostensibly help users find and follow reviews from reviewers that they trust.

One added - and interesting - side effect of this new login requirement is that offensive or overly critical reviews will now be tied directly to a user's Google+ page, and that developers will be able to respond reviewers personally if they choose to.

Nonplussed

Some mobile users are reporting that they’re still able to comment via their devices without logging in via Google+, but this is likely to change by the end of the week.

Currently, AndroidPolice reports that the Google+ login requirement is only live on Nexus 7 phones and browser-based access to the Google Play store, but it is expected to roll out to all other mobile Android devices soon.