Former Google Exec Outlines the High-Stakes Battle Behind Google Reviews on Maury Blackman's Great Minds Think Data
Brad Wetherall, former Director for Google Business Profile, details survival tactics for businesses navigating Google's review ecosystem
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In The Data Behind the Stars, a new episode of Great Minds Think Data, Maury Blackman, CEO of The Transparency Company, interviews Brad Wetherall, former Director of Global Operations for Google My Business. This wide-ranging conversation uncovers the digital battleground of online reviews. What was once considered simple customer feedback has evolved into a high-stakes arena where misinformation, fraud, and invisibility can have devastating consequences for businesses.
Google's local business ecosystem receives over 20 million new content submissions each day—including reviews, photos, and edits—forming the primary layer of trust that consumers rely on when making purchasing decisions. But as Wetherall explains, this data infrastructure is vulnerable to manipulation. "A business's visibility in local search determines whether they survive or disappear. There's no middle ground anymore," said Wetherall. "If your listing is down, your revenue often goes with it."
The episode explores the escalating threats posed by fraudulent reviews, synthetic content, and AI-generated business listings—elements that are rapidly distorting local search results and eroding consumer trust in the digital marketplace. Drawing from his extensive experience inside Google, Wetherall breaks down how these manipulated data signals are influencing purchasing decisions and damaging the reputations of legitimate businesses. He presents a five-part strategy designed to help business owners safeguard their online presence, maintain authenticity, and remain competitive in an increasingly unstable and opaque digital environment.
"This is one of the most transparent conversations we've had about how the review ecosystem works—and doesn't work," said Curtis Boyd, founder of The Transparency Company. "Every business owner who depends on Google should hear it. Fraud isn't just coming from competitors anymore. It's automated, it's coordinated, and it's attacking trust at scale."
For host Maury Blackman, the conversation underscored a broader concern: the lack of institutional support for defrauded consumers and business owners. "There was a time when if you were defrauded, you called a regulatory agency or a state or federal office," Blackman notes. "But today, those institutions are often boxed out. Most people don't realize that Google isn't just a platform—it's the number one lead source and the most important digital asset for small businesses. When that system breaks, people have nowhere to turn."
The Data Behind the Stars is more than a title—it's a warning. This episode offers a wake-up call for business owners, marketers, policymakers, and consumers alike. As Wetherall explains, success in the review economy requires more than good service—it demands vigilance, verification, and an understanding of the complex systems shaping public perception.
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About Great Minds Think Data
Great Minds Think Data is a podcast about the rising influence of data in business, government, and society. Hosted by tech executive and civic-tech pioneer Maury Blackman, each episode brings together thought leaders at the intersection of technology, policy, and ethics to examine how data is transforming our world.
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