Col_Needham's profile
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Employee

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8.4K Messages

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193.4K Points

Friday, February 3rd, 2017

Closed

IMDb message boards

Please see the text below from http://www.imdb.com/board/announcement

In addition, we have created a new Get Satisfaction categories for "I Need to Know" to replace the "I Need to Know" message board and "IMDb Poll" to replace the "IMDb Poll" message board. A post on the Contributors Help board explains the migration path from there to the newly renamed Get Satisfaction category "Data Issues & Policy Discussions"  (which is an already active community here). 

An FAQ on the closure is now available at http://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?boardsclosurefaq

IMDb Message Boards Announcement

IMDb is the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. As part of our ongoing effort to continually evaluate and enhance the customer experience on IMDb, we have decided to disable IMDb’s message boards on February 20, 2017. This includes the Private Message system. After in-depth discussion and examination, we have concluded that IMDb’s message boards are no longer providing a positive, useful experience for the vast majority of our more than 250 million monthly users worldwide. The decision to retire a long-standing feature was made only after careful consideration and was based on data and traffic.

Increasingly, IMDb customers have migrated to IMDb’s social media accounts as the primary place they choose to post comments and communicate with IMDb’s editors and one another. IMDb’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/imdb) and official Twitter account (https://twitter.com/imdb) have an audience of more than 10 million engaged fans. IMDb also maintains official accounts on Snapchat (https://www.snapchat.com/add/imdblive), Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/imdbofficial/), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/imdb), and Tumblr (http://imdb.tumblr.com/).

Because IMDb’s message boards continue to be utilized by a small but passionate community of IMDb users, we announced our decision to disable our message boards on February 3, 2017 but will leave them open for two additional weeks so that users will have ample time to archive any message board content they’d like to keep for personal use. During this two-week transition period, which concludes on February 19, 2017, IMDb message board users can exchange contact information with any other board users they would like to remain in communication with (since once we shut down the IMDb message boards, users will no longer be able to send personal messages to one another). We regret any disappointment or frustration IMDb message board users may experience as a result of this decision.

IMDb is passionately committed to providing innovative ways for our hundreds of millions of users to engage and communicate with one another. We will continue to enhance our current offerings and launch new features in 2017 and beyond that will help our customers communicate and express themselves in meaningful ways while leveraging emerging technologies and opportunities.


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4 Messages

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566 Points

9 years ago

I'm going to add my voice to the crowd of people who are obviously unhappy about this decision to close the IMDb message boards.  I don't think I can add anything, but I want to say I agree.  Social Media is NOT social, and NOT about discussion, and is a horrible replacement for an actual message board.  IMDb provides a unique, and active service; a place for people to get together and discuss things they are passionate about, from movies to TV to actors/actresses.

Sure, there are some nasty people posting on the boards.  But guess what?  It's easy to just ignore.  Use the built in 'Ignore List', or simple willpower to refrain from reading something you don't like.  But taking it away all together is a stupid solution.

Without the boards, I myself will have little to no reason to go back to IMDb.  Hopefully, if you do go through with this horrible, horrible idea, someone else will step up and create a new, better site.

30 Messages

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2.1K Points

9 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Message Board Idea.

Keep the message boards, but...

Create a new category of paid membership that is less expensive than a pro membership.  Only allow paid members to post on message boards.

Use the increased revenue to hire additional mods.

Bam!  Spammer and Troll problem solved.  Plus, you don't kill your community.

1 Message

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102 Points

9 years ago

I bet most people who are happy with this change don't visit IMDB very often. You're going to lose a lot of visitors, and if another website fills that niche IMDB is going to lose even more users.

7 Messages

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930 Points

9 years ago

What a HUGE disappointment. The message boards are what set IMDB apart from similar sites such as Rotten Tomatoes (where I will go if IMDB follows through with this). Social media platforms are not equipped for the level of discussion presented on these boards. I have been an active member since 2006, and I was a lurker long before that. I no longer intend to contribute to the site, and I am strongly considering deleting my Pro account even though it is useful to me as an actor.

7 Messages

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742 Points

9 years ago

Just know that I have no reason to look at fake imdb portals at Twitter/FB and I never will.  Congratulations on cutting out a daily customer of seven years guys.


- Joe

1 Message

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220 Points

9 years ago

Prediction: 

IMDB opens the way for a competitor to snatch the "film-nerds". 
Since the "nerd audience"  are usually important beyond their numbers the reputation of IMDB tanks and more of the general demographics follows to this "new great movie site that their nerd-buddies visit". 
IMDB collapses and competitor takes over. 
I dunno, just seems like an overly risky move. While the very loose "community" of IMDB may not play a significant role in any of the statistics, it may still be vastly important in more subtle ways. 

1 Message

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102 Points

9 years ago

Please change your mind my hopefully getting better funding in order to have people watch out for trolls if that is the problem thus is a popular site

3 Messages

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264 Points

9 years ago

Member what a disaster Qwikster was for Netflix?

I member.

IMDb doesn't member.

Please tell us the real reason you are getting rid of such a useful feature. I'd have much more respect for your decision if you came out and just admitted it is about cost cutting or silencing criticism of Hollywood's increasingly sad output of the past decade.

Chasing people who want to discuss movies and TV shows with others off the website is just begging for a competitor to come along and provide a venue for them.

4 Messages

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258 Points

9 years ago

Very bad idea to shut down the boards. The boards are the best part of IMDB and shutting them down, mean the trolls and spammers have won. 

1 Message

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160 Points

9 years ago

Looks like you're losing a member then. I go on IMDB for the message boards. You're going to lose a lot of hits. I hope someone with good knowledge on making sites makes a new one. We can all go there. Good bye IMDB.

19 Messages

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434 Points

9 years ago

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled IMDb is shutting down the message boards what will happen to the threads?.

I have heard IMDb will be shutting down the message boards on 20th of February what will happen to the threads were will everyone discuss movies and discuss actors once the message boards are gone there will have to be a petition to bring them back.

5 Messages

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780 Points

9 years ago

Please reconsider removing the message boards.  Switch them to Disqus or something similar, but don't destroy a major aspect of this site.  I've been a member since 1999.  I regularly visit and contribute to the boards.  Facebook and Twitter are not the same.  The message boards are the best thing about IMDB.

758 Messages

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29.6K Points

9 years ago

1 Message

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262 Points

9 years ago

Real smart. Have you been to your Facebook page? The number of comments on your posts are pathetic. I get more likes and comments on pictures of my dog in sunglasses. You have no idea how many movie buffs rely on the boards for explanations, theories, stories, opinions and more. Anytime I've had a question on an actor or movie there was one place I almost always found my answer. Now why would we visit? Nothing on IMDB isn't on Wikipedia you realize. Your message boards set you apart. Who is making these decisions?! And why? I want the real answer, not some ridiculous made up one. What is moderating the boards so difficult? You might get trolls, but what about in your Facebook? You can't do anything. Twitter? Nope. Their community standards are much more relaxed. And how are we going to discuss specific movies exactly? Sending emails to random people?

Ok. Think of it this way. Your site is a tool for all of us that love movies. The only place we can go and discuss virtually ANY movie or actor. Movies are made for enjoyment and discussion. You don't show movies. Everything else on the page can be found on Wikipedia so why is IMDB going to be relevant anymore?