A dozen one-star Google Reviews criticising language cuts were mysteriously deleted from the University's Google Maps entry
By Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
Student campaigners involved in efforts to halt an ongoing consultation on the future of modern languages have told The Gaudie they feel "silenced."
Approximately a dozen students had posted one-star reviews criticising management's proposals and expressing support for staff.
Now, it appears that all of these submissions have been mysteriously removed.
Google Reviews can be reported for a number of reasons, including profanity, false information, hate speech, and being "not helpful."
They also can be flagged as "inappropriate" by the manager of a Google business page.
AUSA VP for Education Rhiannon Ledwell was one of the students who had her one-star review removed.
Ledwell’s original review read in part:
"The language teaching staff go above and beyond for their students. The Gaelic programme is amazing. The management however, have no regard for their staff..."
"I cannot recommend this place to anyone until UoA commits to protecting these degrees and our staff, and will likely transfer to an institution that values language teaching."
This isn't the first time negative information about University mangement has been scrubbed from the Internet.
In September, The Gaudie reported that an anonymous Wikipedia editor named 'Aberdeen1495' had removed information referring to controversial "pain along the way" comments made by Principal George Boyne.
After an initial batch of reviews disappeared in early December, The Gaudie reached out to University Communications to ask if they had any knowledge of the removals.
Communications officers said they were not involved in any deletions, and noted that anyone could report a Google Review.
