Why Does IMDB Want a Credit Card To Post In Their Forum?
I’ve never posted to IMDB forums, but I read them a lot. These are the posts at the bottom of a movie or person, users post questions or comments or what they’ve learned.
Today I felt compelled to post a thought and comment about a movie I just watched. Even though I am a registered user the site says:
Registered users can post and have control over board viewing options. We’d like to hear what you have to say! Register/Login now
Clicking Start a New Topic brings me to a page about how to post:
Interesting, I’ve been logged in for a while and my account is quite old, so why do they need to verify me now? OK, Verify me.
Then BOOM! The next page has some pretty heavy validation options just for posting in their forums.
The three options are: login to Amazon, which is the least resistant, but still weird. Offer up my credit card, yeah right. Lastly give em my phone number. Serious? I just wanna post on your annoying site. Even the FAQ on the right column offers no reason except that I then use IMDB’s “cool features”.
This is one of the reasons I started abmoviedb.com (which is still be worked on) – so I didn’t have to deal with IMDB’s horrible, horrible interface and spam ridden website.
I’ll just post my thoughts here anyway. I watched the documentary ‘American Teen‘. It was fine and all, then there was a scene of the basket ball player character playing Solitaire on his Windows computer. As he mentions how he has nothing, he loses at Solitaire, and in large text prints the phrase “You Lost” over the screen. Anyone (and that’s about everyone in the world) has played this card game and knows no such works are displayed like that. Made me think the movie was fake. Sure enough there some talk about it on the boards where I was going to put my 2 cents. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486259/board/thread/141182244?d=142571727&p=1#142571727 (im not even linking it).
Jan 09, 2011 @ 17:29:24
I agree with your article. It’s so weird that they want the credit card information just to verify the acount and they don’t even bother to explain why they need it. What is wrong with the verification via e-mail?
Sep 10, 2011 @ 07:54:06
I felt the same way about it. I just watched “How to train your dragon” and in the forum, they were comparing that movie to “Toy Story 3″, and I felt a need to speak up as well. But when I tried to post a reply, imdb asked for a credit card or my phone #. Why would they need my credit card for verification just to be part of a discussion? Ehh…I don’t understand
Feb 14, 2012 @ 22:35:52
Right, this raises serious flags as to ask for a credit card or possible cost you money using your cell phone data. Yet, there are people who do it. It has to be believing Obama is doing a good job.
Feb 29, 2012 @ 08:25:12
I know! I’ve been a member for years, but I absolutely will not give out my credit card info for any random reason. I think they will lose a lot of discussions if this keeps up. And how will this keep trolls out of any conversations? It will equally eliminate everyone else out of everything!