Misleading website names in external reviews

I enjoy linking my website to the external reviews page, but as my site begins with D I understand it falls down the list a bit. That's how the alphabet works. However, some people are abusing this page by starting their sites with, eg. "A (website name) blog piece", so their reviews default to the top of the page.

I've seen several examples of this, one which stands out big-time is with The Martian, where it has been used (or abused) several times atop this page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/externalreviews

Can this be addressed, please, as it's unfair. Or if it won't be, shall I
just do the same? (as they say "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em")

PS. I know there's a way to attempt to highlight these on the individual pages and ask for their removal, but that requires going on 'correct' for each individual link and following all the steps and it'd be way too time consuming to cover them all.

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

Hi, I'm finding my updates to external reviews for my own links are taking much longer to show up. Is it as a result of this subject, please?

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

Can someone get back to me, please? I also find some of my links are being altered by someone else. The formatting change is always the same, and it's NEVER how I originally submit them. Can you find out who keeps doing this and stop them, please? I can give suggestions but I'd rather send that privately since if they see them here, they'll just make a new username and start again.

Surely, when someone edits something (and it's not about removing abused links as per the original topic), you should be able to see whether or not it's the original person? Hence, if it's not, you shouldn't change it?

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled External reviews processing times?.

I know there are sometimes delays, but even still, often I'd post a review link and it'd appear within an hour, but now it's taking several days before anything shows up. Is anyone else experiencing this, please?

And can someone at IMDB let us know if there's any issues? Thanks.

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Meredith

Employee

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981 Messages

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27.3K Points

8 years ago

Hi Dom,

Please remember that all information submitted to the IMDb is not immediately available online but must first be checked and processed by our staff. The time it takes us to do this can vary. As per this conversation thread, we are continuing our work with changing how URLs are processes to prevent users from moving their reviews higher up the alphabetical ordering system. In order for us to catch as many of these cases as possible, we have had to put in some additional checks which can mean it takes longer for our data editors to process title URLs. For more details about our processing times, please see this page:

http://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?resumeprocessingtimes

and volume of items pending processing by data type:

https://contribute.imdb.com/times

With regards to your comment on your links being altered, please can you let us know more about how they are altered and what part of the formatting has been changed? We always welcome additions and corrections. However, in order to be as comprehensive and current as possible, we cannot restrict updates for a specific title or person to a single source, or provide notification of changes to a listing. Even if we could track down who sent a specific piece of data or correction, it is our policy not to disclose contact details or any other information about our users and contributors.

Thanks
Meredith

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

Hi Meredith, I can't see anything about external reviews processing times on those links.

As for when I post links, and in terms of how they are altered and what part of the formatting has been changed, I would like to submit that privately so as not to encourage others doing it too.

I understand you can't reveal to me who's doing it, but it looks like the kind of thing that only one person would do (since the formatting change is specific) and so this would help narrow it down and stop it, as you will see that my own formatting is the correct one based on my other submissions.

8 years ago

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Will

Champion

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3.7K Messages

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77.7K Points

Hi Dom,

Thank you for your comments, they are listed under Title URLs in this report. If you wish to submit sensitive data please feel free to do so via our Helpdesk system by using the following link http://www.imdb.com/helpdesk/contact_form

Regards,
Will

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

Just done that, but on the question about the length of time for new submissions to the review pages, why are IMDB *still* letting in all the 'At...' ones without checking? Surely a person is checking each one as they do them, so why aren't these stopped?

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

Again, there are still repeat offenders for the "At..." sites, faking the description. Can you take action against these, and why aren't they stopped??

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

Presuming someone's reading this still, I see the occasional posts on film and TV External Reviews which are nothing more than a post with a summary of the film/TV content and a trailer.

Doesn't anyone at IMDB actually check the links are what they say they are?

And if there's a delay in getting things online, why aren't you weeding out all the "At..." and the invalid "A.." sites?

It's a problem you could stop before it starts!

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

Is anyone at IMDB still reading this? Do I need to start another thread again, like I had to last time? I've got some entries (and corrections including deletions from abusers of IMDB) which haven't been processed, while one or two after the 'oldest item' date *have* been put onto the site.

If this delay is meant to weed out the abusers, why are they clearly getting through? Why are the links not checked? A lot of 'reviews' are just links to sites for general info about a programme or film and NOT a review!!

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

I really feel like I'm talking to myself, here. Found a ton more on one particular film's page. Is anyone at IMDB actually still reading this or, again, do I have to start a new thread?

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Peter_pbn

Champion

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15.7K Messages

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344.2K Points

Since the problem remains the same, I doubt the answers would change. Sometimes they just can't dedicate the resources it would take to solve a problem like this.

8 years ago

domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

Then explain why there's a delay in submissions appearing online (as per the link given by Meredith earlier - https://contribute.imdb.com/times ) when this clearly has NOTHING to do with checking what goes through?

8 years ago

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Peter_pbn

Champion

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15.7K Messages

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344.2K Points

It's hard to draw any conclusions from some submissions taking longer than others.

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

That wasn't the point. IMDB are meant to be taking time because they check each one... but clearly, they don't, as sites which would end up way down just put a description of "A something something". So, why are just letting the dodgy ones through, Peter?

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled External reviews.

Meanwhile, all the problems get kicked into the long grass, including doing nothing about weeding out fake site descriptions as you (so I'm told) check each one when submitted, as per the Data Processing Times page, the staff for which are just waving all these through without checking...

https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/misleading-website-names-in-external-reviews?topic-reply-lis...

Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: New IMDb Help hub.

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled External reviews.

Meanwhile, all the problems get kicked into the long grass, including doing nothing about weeding out fake site descriptions as you (so I'm told) check each one when submitted, as per the Data Processing Times page, the staff for which are just waving all these through without checking...

https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/misleading-website-names-in-external-reviews?topic-reply-lis...

Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: New IMDb Help hub.

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled A thread about Misleading website names in external reviews.

When is action going to be taken on these?

I've reported many, but IMDB seem to have given up taking down the dodgy sites. It's so disheartening.

If you can add links after you've apparently checked them, then why are you also ignoring the reported ones, which I've done at the same time??

I hope the title of this new thread gets my point across.

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Horst

451 Messages

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14.9K Points

8 years ago

My suggestion would be to make the default order completely random and different every time you open an external reviews page, maybe add an option to sort by name. Or just get rid off external reviews completely. It would be better like that than the way it is now in my opinion.

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

No, don't get rid of them!

Random is an interesting method.

They're sorted by name already.

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

Oh, and the links to "At Resident Entertainment" for the site called "Resident Entertainment" all seem to point to the homepage, and NOT any individual reviews!!!!

Come on, IMDB!!!

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Col_Needham

Employee

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8.2K Messages

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190.5K Points

8 years ago

Sorry about the delays on this. Our priorities right now are covered on https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/upcoming-changes-to-several-imdb-features-du6man1opd5q0

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

Thanks for the input, Col, but please can you tell me why - since it takes quite some time for all links to get processed - what is causing the delay in this processing? It makes it seem like they're all being checked manually now, but clearly that's not the case since all the dodgy links are still getting through.

8 years ago

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled External reviews.

Why are none the fake reviews being removed whenreported, NOR are they checked when submitted? Please answer both parts of that. Thankyou.

Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: Updates to Title Reference View.

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jeorj_euler

10.7K Messages

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226.1K Points

8 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled External reviews.

Do you have a link to a specific review you want to indict, Dom Robinson? Or otherwise, could you tell us how to reach such a review? You have to consider the possibility that nobody except you finds a given review to be fraudulent enough to be considered in violation of IMDb's Terms of Service, which is the criterion for removal.

Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: Updates to Title Reference View.

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domrobinson

97 Messages

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1.6K Points

8 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled External reviews.

I've given many examples in the past - fake descriptions is the main thing, eg. instead of "Website Reviews", they've put "A Website Reviews piece" or "At Website Reviews" to stick them amongst the As. Look at any major new release title for a quick example of these. A handful are genuine, but many are not.

A lot of these used to be removed when you request it through the Correct/Delete section in External Reviews. Now, they just don't bother. They don't even check the links that are submitted!

Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: Updates to Title Reference View.

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