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Real reason why IMDB forum and any future movie forum will fail...

posted 8 years ago by Pimp_Daddy_Ackbar
12 replies | jump to latest

I would like to say farewell to IMDB. The website provided a great source of information, discussion, and amusement over the years.

Couple reasons why the boards went under

1) Years ago there used to be legit discussions of films. Now every major film board is flooded with studio social media marketers who gang up and quell any dissent. This is what the studios, now owned by mega-transnational corps, wanted. And if it’s not bullying someone who critcizes the film it’s the OBVIOUS “cut and paste” praise of the films. Disney/Marvel are the biggest ones guilty of this.

But this is the new reality. From movie studios to politicians, having an online social media army is basically our new form of propaganda. If not here they’ll just flood youtube, facebook, etc even more.

Ultimately this is what studios and the celebrities want: one less avenue for someone to criticize their product even if its obvious the film is garbage or racist. Take for example the big film opening this weekend ‘The Great Wall’. Casting Matt Damon as the lead in an ancient china era flick is a legit argument but do you think the studios, Damon…Hollywood in general want this sort of discussion?

Hollywood is a hypocritical pseudo-liberal town. They’re for free speech if it doesn’t impinge on their questionable, often racist, products.

2) Trolling used to be funny at times. These days its taken on a new virulent overly racist form that’s not even funny. Used to be if someone wanted to be racist it was at least done in a witty way. Now its blatant racist crap. Well good job one less forum to spew your hatred. Next time try joining the rest of us in the the 21st century

3) If it’s not the studio marketers, then it’s the longtime gang that makes a certain forum theirs. Anyone new who tries to join in the discussion is ganged up upon and bullied. Just browse through forums for popular television shows like the Walking Dead or GOT. There’s like a set of 10-15 users with no jobs who set in and think they control the place. Well hopefully now they can go to Monster.com and send out some resumes instead of watching Netflix all day

4) How about the psychos obsessed with a certain celebrity? Take the Tom Cruise board for example. Or the George Clooney board LOL!

[–] sakins 8 years ago

I think you are wrong here. 1 mayor reason for shutting it down could be the content on those message boards. As you said there is so much negative, racist and stupid stuff on there that IMDB are not able to clean it out or it takes too much human resources. And obviously they don't want their nice and shiny site to be associated with all of that.

Second reasons is control. IMDB might be interested in pushing some shows, movies and making them appeal to people. They have the power to do that. Message boards is the only eye opening place where someone can point out what's happening and say something negative about a certain show, studio, streaming site. Without message boards they have full control.

[–] Isajade (57) 8 years ago

There's still the real reviews

[–] jmcd2007 (424) 8 years ago

IMDb tried to claim that nobody was using the boards anymore and that trolls were bullying others to death...especially on their boards for "The Walking Dead." Myself personally, I don't watch that show, so I never knew that part, but for the most part, I never really came across too many trolls (or bullies) so I'm going to guess that they were likely just trying to drum up excuses as to why they could no longer have them around.

In any case, what Jim has set up here for us is a fantastic alternative. Ever since I found this website a couple of days after February 20th, I have been hooked. In fact, I have been posting more than I ever have when I was with IMDb. I love it here!

[–] [deleted] 8 years ago

I hate all those trolls on the Walking Dead

[–] jmcd2007 (424) 8 years ago

Glad to know that I wasn't alone there....although I rarely, if ever, visited those boards myself. I mainly just heard about them causing a lot of trouble on a more than frequent basis.

[–] Isajade (57) 8 years ago

I've rarely seen trolls, but never went on this series' board.
This is one board, out of so many.

You don't cut a tree for a few bad apples.

[–] jmcd2007 (424) 8 years ago

Very good points all around! The fact that they punished all of us over a few bad seeds really upset me, but thanks to Jim, I remain entirely grateful at the fact (and definitely to him, of course) that we all have a new home here! :)

[–] Lulahv (5) 8 years ago

I really liked the message boards - admittedly I don't watch the walking dead so I don't know what the issue was there, and there were some crazy people trolling others on there, or being really racist/misogynistic/homophobic etc or just really cruel about famous people, BUT I really used to find lots of trivia on there & could ask questions about weird programs & get answers!
I really hope the person that posted 'so what do you girls really think of this guy/would you do him?' on practically every male actors board doesn't come here!

[–] Faridah (1363) 8 years ago

I hope so too! I saw that troll and he was definitely a troll. It looked like he spent all day posting gross stuff like that. Same with the sex trolls on the Brady Bunch page. Who wastes their life trolling?

[–] Lulahv (5) 8 years ago

I know!! I can't even see how it would be funny/entertaining or 'exciting' for someone to constantly spend time writing those questions on the message boards!!
It must take up so much time & energy. They must be so sad...

[–] [deleted] 8 years ago

couldnt all these problems be alleviated with some kind of account peer review system?

That said , as with youtube , if you go where the morons gather , you arnt going to get any sensible conversation.

[–] [deleted] 8 years ago

" one less avenue for someone to criticize their product "
I think theyre fighting a losing battle there . To quote/paraphrase Ben Afleck: "The internet has given everyone in America a voice , and they have chosen to use that voice to bitch about movies"

"cant stop the signal"