Can Companies Remove Glassdoor Reviews?

Ensure you’re signed into your employer or personal account before proceeding.

• Go to your company’s Glassdoor profile.
• Scroll through the reviews and find the one you want to report.

Below the review, you’ll see a small flag icon or a “Report” option, click it.

Glassdoor will prompt you to choose a reason for flagging. Select the most relevant option

• Clearly explain why the review violates Glassdoor’s policies.
• Reference specific guideline violations.
• Keep your report factual and professional.

• After submitting your request, Glassdoor will review it.
• Check back periodically, as it may take a few days for a decision.

If Glassdoor initially refuses to remove a review, a re-evaluation can be requested, and a well-documented follow-up can sometimes lead to a second review of the case. One effective strategy is using vague language against itself. What does that mean? Well, Glassdoor prefers reviews that are specific and have proper explanations. So, If a negative review is filled with broad statements like “horrible management”, “toxic work culture”, or “the company doesn’t care about employees”, you can argue that it lacks factual backing. A review that simply says, “The CEO is a terrible person” without details or examples doesn’t meet Glassdoor’s own standards. This way, a vague rant can be challenged and potentially removed.

Glassdoor doesn’t always apply its policies consistently, and you can use that to your advantage. If you manage to find a similar review that was removed for another company while yours remains online, you have a strong case to challenge Glassdoor’s decision. Presenting this inconsistency, you can argue to get your review removed. This approach works because Glassdoor aims to maintain fair moderation standards, and pointing out discrepancies puts pressure on them to correct their decision. 
Collect as many screenshots and records of similar cases as you can, where reviews were flagged and removed. The more proof you have of policy inconsistencies, the stronger your argument becomes.

If you can’t remove a bad review, the next best move is to bury it so fewer people see it. So, pushing negative reviews down in search results by flooding the internet with high-ranking positive content. Blogs, press releases, and employee testimonials can all help shift the focus away from Glassdoor. PR plays a big role, too. For instance, getting featured in reputable publications can not only increase credibility but also drown out negativity in search rankings. Plus, encouraging happy employees to leave honest reviews can tip the balance in your favor, making one bad post far less damaging.

OR you can handle it the legal way.

If your company’s employment contracts include arbitration clauses, you might have a direct path to getting a negative Glassdoor review removed. These clauses require disputes, including online reviews to be handled privately rather than on public platforms. Let’s say, if a former employee agreed to this, you have legal grounds to challenge their review. The process involves notifying the reviewer, filing for arbitration, and proving the review violates the agreement. If successful, you could secure a legally binding order for removal. However, the problem here is that not all courts uphold arbitration clauses in online defamation cases. Some jurisdictions side with the employee’s right to free speech, limiting enforcement. That’s why, before going down this path, consult legal counsel to check if your arbitration clause has the muscle to hold up.

If arbitration isn’t an option, a cease-and-desist letter can be a strong first move. This is a formal notice that demands the reviewer to remove defamatory content or face potential legal action. Many people back down at this stage, not wanting a legal fight. While some don’t, and they may escalate the situation, claiming they’re being silenced. This is why cease-and-desist letters need to be carefully worded. A poorly handled letter can turn a quiet dispute into a PR nightmare. Again, if you’re considering this approach, work with a legal expert to ensure it’s both effective and strategic.

When a review crosses the line into false and damaging claims, you can opt for a defamation lawsuit. But it’s not a decision to take lightly. Legal action takes time, costs money, and can draw unwanted media attention. Worse, it might push the reviewer to take their complaints elsewhere, spreading even more negative press.
That said, when a company has a strong case, it can work. In one instance, a business successfully proved that defamatory reviews were harming its reputation. A court ordered Glassdoor to disclose the identities behind the anonymous reviews, leading to the removal of the harmful content. While not the easiest path, legal action can be a reliable way to remove defamatory/ negative reviews.

Flooding Glassdoor with five-star reviews to bury negative ones might seem like a good idea, but it’s easy to spot when a company suddenly gets a lot of generic praise with no specifics. Some even create fake employee profiles to leave positive reviews. The problem here is that Glassdoor tracks login locations, timestamps, and writing styles. If multiple accounts show suspicious patterns, Glassdoor flags and removes them.

If not me, then no one: Some take it a step further by posting fake negative reviews on competitors’ pages. But competitors can flag fraudulent reviews just like anyone else. If Glassdoor detects manipulation, the offending company faces the consequences instead. And if the competitor takes legal action for defamation, the financial and reputational fallout could be damaging.