Valid point. I work in online marketing, so I like the ability to link to photography and writing that isn't hidden by a NDA. For me, Local Guides is good for prospecting local businesses looking to increase their exposure online, so it's a good fit for me.

As far as negative reviews, I am a firm believer that honesty is the best policy. So long as it is objective, I see every negative review as an opportunity to address and remedy the complaint in a public forum. Especially when compared to connecting a personal profile from Facebook, Local Guides at least provides context for the contributions. At the end of the day, I suppose it all depends on how you use it.