Feedbacks on medical services and their conflictogenic potential in the era of digitalization

The article considers the impact of new technologies of communicative interaction via the Internet on transforming consumer feedback genre. Feedback on doctors and medical services posted in online media outlets and Internet forums were used as the material for study, their assessment in Russian legal practice is presented. The image of the author as one of the main genre-forming features of the feedback is noted to be transforming legal status due to the public nature of communication. The verbal behavior of the feedback author is studied in terms of the permitting public assessment of a doctor’s professional activity and its impact on the reputation of medical workers. As a consequence there is the legal responsibility of the author for the disclosure of personal data and information published on the Internet, the reliability of which can be challenged. Negative customer feedback on medical services posted on online media outlets and Internet forums are implicitly conflict-ridden due to doctors’ personal data publication. However, a website feedback genre is considered to be a legally valid mode of public service quality control. According to the author of the article, balancing respect for privacy, protection of business reputation and freedom of media falls within the scope of online media editorial policy. At the same time, this implies the transformation of the speech behavior of the Internet users and the enhancement of their competence in the field of legal responsibility for public statements.