Birth names no longer a useful section of the database?

What the hell happened?I sure hope a staffer will respond to this question.

Imdb keeping all valid info permanently is one of the main reasons why I love this website so much..

The answer is in the article, no?

What do you mean??

You ask what happened, and the article in the first post explains the background.

My only worry is what will this end up leading to..

"Valid info" ??! Yes, valid info. This is a database. It stores data. In this particular case, about, among other things, people who worked on movies, series and video games. Someone's name as well as someone's birth name is data. It is stored in a database.WTF do you knowing someones dead name? I think that for literally 99 per cent of all famous people, it's easy to find out their birth names. So knowing the birth name of someone in this database is not that weird. You are here to look up moviesAmong other things. People are also here to look up actors, or directors, or simply people with whom they share a birthday. As founder and current CEO of IMDb, Col Needham, once said "IMDb means different things to different people."what you want is one of those investigation sites so you can dox people and harass them. If you are actually accusing people on this board of wanting to dox or harass people, you are way out of line and I feel you should take it back and apologize.

(if someone knows how to delete duplicated posts, I'm all ears)

Thanks Ed, for clearing that up.

Luke Davies, it most certainly will. It is evident that birth names are a notable exception and partial, at that.

This is a fricken  fan movie site, Well, partly, but more that a fan movie site, IMDb is a database (guess what the Db in the name IMDb stand for :) ) about films, tv series and video games and the people who worked on them. Obviously, such a database will draw a lot of fans of a lot of movies, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a database.not the FBI  Luke. You do realize that lots of internet sites mention birth names of well-known people don't you?

I'm with Perky Pants, IMDb has been way too bureaucratic about this very sensitive issue for way too long.

You can't put that over the well being of marginalized people.

You can't put that over the well being of marginalized people.A database is neutral. It doesn't judge. It doesn't give one group of people an advantage or a disadvantage. It doesn't have an opinion about the people it lists, be they marginalized or not. A database does not marginalize people. Other people do that. And that is terrible and should be stopped. But not allowing people to talk and know about FACTS is always the wrong answer, no matter what the question is.

Deadnames are used to hurt people. IMDb is providing deadnames. IMDb is hurting trans people.

Birth names can be used to hurt people, but stating that birth names are always used to hurt people is just nonsense and I think you know that. IMDb doesn't use birth names to hurt people. Other people might use these names to hurt people, but that can't and shouldn't be blamed on an impartial database, it should be blamed on the people who willingly hurt other people.

Birth names can be used to hurt people, but stating that birth names are always used to hurt people is just nonsense and I think you know that. IMDb doesn't use birth names to hurt people. Other people might use these names to hurt people, but that can't and shouldn't be blamed on an impartial database, it should be blamed on the people who willingly hurt other people.

What does that mean? That their original name will still appear?

If I understand correctly:If someone was credited under their birth (or other former) name, then the credited name will still appear for credit identification purposes along with the current name (but the birth name will not appear in the biography section if requested).If someone was not ever credited under their birth name, and all of the other conditions apply, then you won't see the birth name anymore.

Ya because Imdb stress that on-screen credits are what matter But they also state that will go forth and erase ALL birth names of those who have changed their names for whatever reason..

Are the rules in these 3 following articles still permanent The way I understand all this bad news, is that the content of the first two articles needs an update and is currently incorrect.

But the 3rd remains unaffected because it just has to do with film titles, tv show titles and video game titles, not their individual credits?

I think so, yes.

Ya.. very bad call..

As documented on the site, we will now review requests to remove a birth name from a person's biographical details if the birth name is not broadly publicly known (i.e. it's not already widely recognized and available elsewhere through sources such as major reference sites or publications) and if the person no longer voluntarily uses it (i.e. only uses their birth name when compelled to do so by government/legal requirements, but not in other aspects of their daily or professional life).So what you're saying is that birth names can be removed, even if they're factual?Doesn't that go against the fundamental concept of a database? Isn't IMDb undermining IMDb here?

They are  transsexual . Maybe I missed something, but I don't believe anybody said they aren't.REMOVE THE DEAD NAMING YOU HAVE PLAGUED THEM  WITH FOR 15 FKING YEARS. Shouting and cursing is rather unbecoming.You have been the single source of harassment for transgender communityYou have quite some nerve accusing a database that publishes data of harassment. If you don't want a database stating facts, I genuinely feel sorry for you.Is this as joke? That's what I thought when I first heard about this ridiculous policy change, but for a totally different reason.That is the biggest joke of all. Are you saying that you know what it is all these hundreds of millions of people look up while they're on IMDb?You are a fan siteDatabase.you use IMDB Pro to extort money out of people simply to control their own data.You don't have to use IMDbPro you know. If you deserve an IMDb name page, you will get one. And on regular IMDb, your name and some information about you will be visible, whether or not you have IMDbPro doesn't change that.to abuse them Why do you consider it abuse that a database stores birth names of the people in the database? There's no shame in one's birth name. It's the name one is given around the time of their birth, nothing more, nothing less. There is no abuse in stating the fact of one's birth name, and especially not for a database.

That’s exactly what I’m afraid of

IMDb gets used as a resume in the entertainment industry, and the previous policy assisted discrimination of trans people in the industry. Lots of people who are "workaday non-celebrity actors and crew" were negatively affected by IMDb's previous policy. Also, IMDb assisted in discrimination, and to an extent still does, of people who work additional jobs outside of the entertainment industry as "workaday non-celebrities," along with other issues such as housing discrimination.

My position is that IMDb should allow workaday non-celebrity actors and crew to remove personal information from the database if it did not appear in film credits.

Emma Arpin, just my five cents but I always thought of IMDb being used as a resume as a side effect. It was and is, first and foremost, a database. So from my point of view the process is a bit similar to, say, taking a dictionary or encyclopedia, or an archive and replacing all the legit info with resumes, with no discretion as to whether those are correct or not. It happened before you know. It, with people like Quentin Tarantino falsely putting credits/roles in Dawn of the Dead (1978) and King Lear (1987) on his resume, knowing they would be a hard thing to verify. They then ended up being on  Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide and are still surface from time to time as a false fact. That is exactly what happens when people mostly treat databases and encyclopedias as promotional instruments. 

Your comment that "IMDb is not a CV or resume service" is wrong because of imdbpro. What's funny is I almost was going to comment yesterday regarding that the only reason this occurred is because imdb now gets paid by some. If it didn't, I bet the names would be there forever. Not saying if that's right or wrong, just the way it is.

It’s not really wrong, since IMDB and IMDbPro are two different things. The latter is a paid service with certain benefits. It’s always best to talk about ”IMDbPro” if you refer to that service.

IMDbPro pulls from the same database.

Yes, but so far IMDb has been successful in that case. The State of California passed a law which would have required IMDb to remove birthdates in some cases. IMDb sued to have the law declared unconstitutional, and the district court found in favor of IMDb.The case is on appeal, though. There will be a hearing in the Court of Appeals next month.In case you are looking for more information about that case, it is called IMDb.com, Inc. v. Becerra.

Ok so now there might be another thing that people can request to be removed, if imdb does not win this case.. uugh jesus, what next?

My big question is will this lead to people requesting to remove movies, or tv shows or video games? Will imdb then have to comply with them?

That is my greatest concern..

Ideologues are already requesting - no, demanding - that certain movies, TV shows and video games be removed from IMDb for political reasons. The question is not whether the demands will be made, the question is whether IMDb will cave in to them.

Exactly.. at that point, what use is a database if all you’re gonna do is remove information from it? You cannot be the Internet’s most comprehensive database about movies if you end up removing data..

Deadnaming people—and in the case of this specific policy change people who were not widely known to the public by their deadname—does not add to a movie database. However, it does assist discrimination against trans people in employment, housing, etc.

Look, as long as people don’t start removing films, tv, or video games.. then fine i guess

Wow. talk about making it personal.And what does this sentence me PPP?"You are talking about the trivial facts about  fantasy."

LOL. You really seem to be taking this very personally when to the best of my recollection of what I've seen that's not been the angle.So somebody taking the position that true info should be kept is a bad person to be attacked personally.  All at the same time you argue that keeping accurate info is de facto attacking someone.And criticizing someone personally by their # of posts which you've had 10 posts in one day would mean that you're living on here.And then to top it all off you pull out the race card to try and shame someone. Be proud of your position, be respectful, and quit trying to drag the argument into the muck.

As i said.. my only issue is what this could lead to.. people requesting to take down their names.. then their ages, what happens when people start demanding their films, tv shows or video games be taken down??

As i said.. my only issue is what this could lead to.. people requesting to take down their names.. then their ages, what happens when people start demanding their films, tv shows or video games be taken down??

What happened to posts disappearing??? Very odd.And PPP you are ignoring my question about the sentence I didn't understand because it looked like it got clipped. I'm trying to listen to your argument, but you aren't making it easy.

What happened to posts disappearing??? Very odd.And PPP you are ignoring my question about the sentence I didn't understand because it looked like it got clipped. I'm trying to listen to your argument, but you aren't making it easy.

I've not expressed any opinion regarding this new policy because I don't understand all the angles of it. (Until yesterday I had never heard of the term deadnaming). So thx for calling me an asshole. Been awhile that I've had a teen throwing names at me and it's just as funny now as it was then.  All you're doing is prove my point that you're taking this personally which destroys your ability to make any good argument.

My bad. Sorry 15 posts in 60 minutes. That's not overkill. LOLSo in less than an hour you started calling me curse names and going to the lowest denominator of using race baiting. I was in the navy, attached to marines, so trust me I've been called everything in the book and it doesn't bother me in the least.I'll at least say this, Ed can be sharp-tongued, but don't recall him calling people names. But if it makes you feel better PPP, go ahead and call me names. I can tell this is a very personal, troubling issue for you for which I'm sorry for you. I'd really like to understand the angles as it's not something I'm familiar with. I've only known one person who was trans and that was about 20 years ago.  She was a friend and a fellow vet, and times or people were different because none of us cared. So it's something I'm ignorant about, but would like to understand.  So try and make a cogent, non-personal counter-argument vs saying someone is a curse word, bad person, or a bigot.

Can confirm that Ed Jones really enjoys transphobia.

Get your ----- Oscar man, I bet it'll floor audiences

Would you rather me make up having a dozen trans friends?? Again you're just attacking someone. And PPP I've only seen one post where you've tried to make any argument, but you started it off with cursing. And deny it all you want, your post did call me a name.Frankly this isn't an issue that impacts me regardless. My friend committed suicide but it had nothing to do with being trans but instead with ptsd. But I should also say that I may have met other people that were trans but didn't know.  It's not something I care about. Kind of like someone saying they're taking a particular point of view and being nasty from the start. It makes me care much less about their position. Thus far I've not seen anything that is persuasive that the actual names in credits shouldn't be listed.

Cursing is rather unbecoming Kati.

Cursing is rather unbecoming Kati.

Inspirational!

Misgendering, that's a new one.

PPP/snowflake,I didn't see this until now, and was going to ignore it, but just for the record she left a note.  She had served in Vietnam and was haunted by what someone who has been in a war is haunted by. I know you know nothing of this because none of your comments reflect anything indicative you ever served, but that was your choice as was mine, my friend's, and many others who choose to serve so you could voice opinions.As to the trans issue impacting the suicide, I guess I choose to assume that being in war had nothing related to her trans gender because if it did, then the whole concept of trans would be blown up because it's supposed to be about something more fundamental than just a tragic issue.So again you fail to speak with anything inteligent, and no matter what name you choose to be here as, you fail to make any persuasive arguments as to the actual harm done to anyone is. In fact I found a blog that gave me the best argument related to removing birth names and it's based on that unlike a stage name, someone who is trans it's not a stage name but a more fundamental name change as it's associated with a sexual identity change. Now that argument alone doesn't convince me that imdb should change it's policy, but it's a good argument and start.See unlike you, I like to be informed and persuaded before making a decision. And again I'm going to ignore you, although I wish I could just block you.