IMDb #IMDbPro

User profile pages show a user's registration date and, optionally, their personal ratings of titles. Since 2015, "badges" can be added showing a count of contributions. These badges range from total contributions made to independent categories such as photos, trivia, and biographies. If a registered user or visitor is in the entertainment industry and has an IMDb page, they can add photos through IMDbPRO.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/help/search?domain=helpdesk_faq&index=2&file=contact_information&ref_=hlp_sr_1|title=Submission guide for users|series=Help Center|publisher=IMDb|access-date=|archive-date=March 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325024326/http://www.imdb.com/help/search?domain=helpdesk_faq&index=2&file=contact_information&ref_=hlp_sr_1|url-status=live}}

The IMDb Top 250 is a list of the top rated 250 films, based on ratings by registered users of the website using the methods described. {{As of|2025|03|10}}, The Shawshank Redemption (1994), directed by Frank Darabont, is the highest-ranked film on the list, and has been since 2008.{{cite web | first=A.A. |last=Dowd | url =https://www.avclub.com/escape-is-the-unlikely-link-between-the-shawshank-redem-1798271320 | title =Escape is the unlikely link between The Shawshank Redemption and Natural Born Killers | date =August 19, 2014 | access-date = September 23, 2017 | website= The A.V. Club |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170923222232/https://film.avclub.com/escape-is-the-unlikely-link-between-the-shawshank-redem-1798271320 |archive-date= September 23, 2017 |url-status=live}}{{cite web | first = Margaret | last = Heiderny | url = https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/09/shawshank-redemption-anniversary-story | title = The Little-Known Story of How The Shawshank Redemption Became One of the Most Beloved Films of All Time | date = September 22, 2014 | access-date = March 5, 2017 | website = Vanity Fair | archive-date = September 10, 2017 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20170910201902/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/09/shawshank-redemption-anniversary-story | url-status=live | df = mdy-all }}{{cite news |title=IMDb Top 250 Movies |url=https://www.imdb.com/chart/top/?ref_=nv_mv_250 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250310051851/https://www.imdb.com/chart/top/ |archive-date=March 10, 2025 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |publisher=IMDb}} The "Top 250" rating is based on only the ratings of "regular voters". The number of votes a registered user would have to make to be considered as a user who votes regularly has been kept secret. IMDb has stated that to maintain the effectiveness of the Top 250 list they "deliberately do not disclose the criteria used for a person to be counted as a regular voter".{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/help/search?domain=helpdesk_faq&index=1&file=notintop250|title=The user votes average on film or show X is 9.4, so it should appear in your top 250 Movies or TV list, yet it doesn't. Why? |publisher=IMDb|access-date=July 1, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325075002/https://www.imdb.com/help/search?domain=helpdesk_faq&index=1&file=notintop250 |archive-date= Mar 25, 2017 }} In addition to other weightings, the Top 250 films are also based on a weighted rating formula referred to in actuarial science as a credibility formula.{{cite book|chapter-url=http://stats.lse.ac.uk/norberg/links/papers/CRED-eas.pdf|title=Encyclopedia of Actuarial Science|first=Ragnar|last=Norberg|doi=10.1002/9780470012505.tac068|chapter=Credibility Theory|year=2006|isbn=0470846763|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040515175331/http://stats.lse.ac.uk/norberg/links/papers/CRED-eas.pdf|archive-date=May 15, 2004}} This label arises because a statistic is taken to be more credible the greater the number of individual pieces of information; in this case from eligible users who submit ratings. Although the current formula is not disclosed, IMDb originally used the following formula to calculate their weighted rating:{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?votestopfaq|title=IMDB Vote FAQ|publisher=IMDb|access-date=February 6, 2015|archive-date=October 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023205105/http://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?votestopfaq|url-status=live}}

The IMDb also has a Bottom 100 feature which is assembled through a similar process although only 10,000 votes must be received to qualify for the list.{{cite news|url=https://www.imdb.com/chart/bottom|title=Bottom 100|publisher=IMDb|access-date=March 19, 2020|archive-date=November 23, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031123162101/https://www.imdb.com/chart/bottom|url-status=live}}

The Top 250 list comprises a wide range of feature films, including major releases, cult films, independent films, critically acclaimed films, silent films, and non-English-language films. Documentaries, short films and TV episodes are not currently included.

Since 2015, there has been a Top 250 list devoted to ranking television shows.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/chart/toptv |title=Top 250 TV |publisher=IMDb |access-date=March 16, 2016 |archive-date=March 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315073311/http://www.imdb.com/chart/toptv/ |url-status=live}}

IMDb originally used a more sidebar/list-based view on title pages. However, in 2010 the site updated pages to more free-flowing layouts, and offered logged-in users an "advanced view" site preference setting called "Combined view", or this could be done on an ad-hoc basis by simply adding /combined to the end of the URL (e.g. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2358891/combined), for users to choose should they prefer the older page view display method or to aid the editing of data.

In 2017, some alterations were made to this advanced view, and the setting was renamed "Reference view", again also able to be accessed ad-hoc by simply adding /reference to the end of the URL (e.g. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2358891/reference), with the former /combined URLs made to link to the newer /reference ones.{{cite web|url=https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/updates-to-title-reference-view/5f4a79d48815453dba8c8c06|title=Updates to Title Reference View|publisher=IMDb|author=Nic_b (Employee)|work=IMDb Community Forums |date=December 19, 2017|access-date=January 6, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107001045/https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/updates-to-title-reference-view/5f4a79d48815453dba8c8c06|url-status=live}}

By February 20, 2017, all the message boards and their content were permanently removed. According to the website, the decision was made because the boards were "no longer providing a positive, useful experience for the vast majority of our more than 250 million monthly users worldwide".{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/3/14501390/imdb-closing-user-forums-comments|title=IMDb is closing its message boards|last=Liptak|first=Andrew|date=February 3, 2017|website=The Verge|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112041601/http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/3/14501390/imdb-closing-user-forums-comments|url-status=live}} Others have mentioned its susceptibility to trolling and disagreeable behavior.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/03/one-of-the-worst-comments-sections-on-the-internet-is-shutting-down/ |first1=Sarah |last1=Perez |website=TechCrunch |title=One of the worst comment sections on the Internet is shutting down|date=February 3, 2017|access-date=April 10, 2019|archive-date=October 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020044636/https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/03/one-of-the-worst-comments-sections-on-the-internet-is-shutting-down/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2017/03/09/internet-movie-database-robust-community-goes-boards/QI8mDhM15L2iQzTTf5K0JJ/story.html |url-access=subscription |date=March 9, 2017 |first1=Ty |last1=Burr |title=Should IMDB have preserved its comment boards – flame wars and all?|website=The Boston Globe|access-date=April 10, 2019|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112003811/https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2017/03/09/internet-movie-database-robust-community-goes-boards/QI8mDhM15L2iQzTTf5K0JJ/story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/2017/2/21/16043918/imdb-message-board-shuts-down-80b632d6ab79 |first1= Claire |last1=McNear |website=The Ringer |title=Not Even IMDB Is Safe From Trolls|date=February 21, 2017|access-date=April 10, 2019|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112043304/https://www.theringer.com/2017/2/21/16043918/imdb-message-board-shuts-down-80b632d6ab79|url-status=live}} Needham also mentioned in a post some months earlier that the boards received less income from ads, and that their members only made up a very small part of the website's visitors. The boards were costly to run due to the system's age and dated design, which did not make business sense.{{cite web|url=https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/can-someone-on-the-inside-explain-to-me|title=Can someone on the inside explain to me|website=IMDb Customer Community|date=July 26, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2017|archive-date=February 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221031317/https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/can-someone-on-the-inside-explain-to-me|url-status=live}} The decision to remove the message boards was met with outspoken backlash from some of its users, and sparked an online petition garnering over 8,000 signatures.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-some-users-are-trying-to-save-imdbs-message-board/|title=How some users are trying to save IMDB's message board|website=Vice |first1=Justine |last1=Smith |date=February 10, 2017 |access-date=September 9, 2017|archive-date=September 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910040632/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/pgxeab/how-some-users-are-trying-to-save-imdbs-message-board|url-status=live}} In the days leading up to February 20, 2017, both Archive.org{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/archiveteam_imdb|title=The Archiveteam IMDB Final Message |website=Internet Archive |access-date=September 9, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://archive.today/20240226004318/https://archive.org/details/archiveteam_imdb |archive-date= 26 February 2024 }} and MovieChat.org{{cite web|url=https://moviechat.org/|title=MovieChat - Discuss Movies, TV, Celebrities {{!}} Forum, Reviews, News |publisher=MovieChat.org|access-date=September 9, 2017|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112025214/https://moviechat.org./|url-status=live}} preserved the entire contents of the IMDb message boards using web scraping. Archive.org and MovieChat.org have published IMDb message board archives.{{cite web|url=http://movietvforums.com/imdb-message-board-archives-legal|title= IMDb Message Board Archives: Are They Legal?|publisher=Movie & TV Forums |date=March 1, 2017 |access-date=October 8, 2018|archive-date=October 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008135011/http://movietvforums.com/imdb-message-board-archives-legal/|url-status=usurped }}

Actors, crew, and industry executives can post their own resume and upload photos of themselves for a yearly membership fee to IMDbPro. IMDbPro can be accessed by anyone willing to pay the annual fee of US$149.99. Membership enables a user to access the rank order of each industry personality, as well as agent contact information for any actor, producer, director etc. that has an IMDb page. IMDbPro also allows existing actors to claim their name page, as well as production companies to claim titles they own/manage. Enrolling in IMDbPro enables members who are industry personnel to upload a head shot to open their page, as well as to upload hundreds of photos to accompany their page. Anyone can register as an IMDb user and contribute to the site as well as view its content; however, those users enrolled in IMDbPro have greater access and privileges.{{cite web |url=https://secure.imdb.com/signup/index.html |title=IMDbPro signup |publisher=IMDb |access-date=March 24, 2017 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112041254/https://pro.imdb.com/signup/index.html |url-status=live }}

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IMDb originated in 1990 with a Usenet posting entitled "Those Eyes", by the English film fan and computer programmer Col Needham,{{cite newsgroup|title=Re: Frequently Asked Questions List (2/28/90)|first=Jeff|last=Dalton|date=March 1, 1990|newsgroup=rec.arts.movies|url=https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.arts.movies/_3XDw1YOp6A/11SgWWh24wsJ|access-date=August 13, 2019|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801185338/https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.arts.movies/_3XDw1YOp6A/11SgWWh24wsJ|url-status=live}}{{failed verification|date=October 2022|reason=source shows no evidence the "Those Eyes" post was by Needham nor made in 1990}} about actresses with beautiful eyes.

By late 1990, the lists included almost 10,000 films and television series, correlated with actors and actresses appearing therein. On October 17, 1990, Needham converted his private database to an entity that was accessible on the Internet, and thus the database that would become the IMDb was born.{{cite news |last=Chmielewski |first=Dawn C. |date=January 19, 2013 |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2013-jan-19-la-fi-himi-needham-20130120-story.html |title=Col Needham created IMDb |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=October 9, 2014 |archive-date=October 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026113957/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/19/business/la-fi-himi-needham-20130120 |url-status=live }} At the time, it was known as the "rec.arts.movies movie database".

The database had been expanded to include additional categories of filmmakers and other demographic material as well as trivia, biographies, and plot summaries. The movie ratings had been properly integrated with the list data, and a centralized email interface for querying the database had been created by Alan Jay. Later, on August 5, 1993,{{Cite web |title=Internet Movie Database (IMDb) first web version |url=https://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/internet-movie-database-imdb-first-web-version |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=www.webdevelopersnotes.com |language=en}} it moved onto the fledgling World Wide Web under the name of Cardiff Internet Movie Database.{{cite web|url=http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/movies|title=Historical Internet Movie Database Site|publisher=Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics|access-date=March 21, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324121844/http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/movies|archive-date=March 24, 2013}} The database resided on the servers of the computer science department of Cardiff University in Wales. Rob Hartill was the original web interface author. In 1994, the email interface was revised to accept the submission of all information, which enabled people to email the specific list maintainer with their updates. However, the structure remained so that information received on a single film was divided among multiple section managers, the sections being defined and determined by categories of film personnel and the individual filmographies contained therein. Over the next few years, the database was run on a network of mirrors across the world with donated bandwidth.{{cite web |title=IMDB History |url=https://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?history |publisher=IMDb |access-date=July 1, 2018 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108183900/https://help.imdb.com/imdb?history |url-status=live }}

In 1996, IMDb was incorporated in the United Kingdom, becoming the Internet Movie Database Ltd. Founder Col Needham became the primary owner. General revenue for site operations was generated through advertising, licensing and partnerships.{{cite web|url=https://help.imdb.com/imdb?history|title=IMDb | Help|publisher=IMDb|date=|access-date=|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108183900/https://help.imdb.com/imdb?history|url-status=live}}

In 1998, Jeff Bezos, founder, owner, and CEO of Amazon.com, struck a deal with Needham and other principal shareholders to buy IMDb outright; Amazon paid $55 million for IMDb and two other companies.{{cite web|url=http://www.secinfo.com/dr643.7kp.c.htm#2ndPage|title=Amazon Com Inc – '8-K' for 4/27/98 – EX-99.2|website=SEC Info|date=April 27, 1998|access-date=March 23, 2017|archive-date=January 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101184851/http://www.secinfo.com/dr643.7kp.c.htm#2ndPage|url-status=dead}} Bezos attached it to Amazon as a subsidiary, private company.{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=37602|title=Internet bookseller Amazon.com announces acquisition of United Kingdom company The Internet Movie Database Ltd.|publisher=IMDb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603182852/http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=37602|archive-date=June 3, 2012|via=PR Newswire Europe|access-date=September 18, 2020 }} This gave IMDb {{clarify span|text=the ability to pay the shareholders salaries for their work.|explain=Shareholder typically don't work nor earn salaries as "shareholders". What is this trying to say?|date=January 2023}} In the process of expanding its product line, Amazon.com intended to use IMDb as an advertising resource for selling DVDs and videotapes.

From 1996 onwards, an annual newsletter email (archived on the website) has been sent from Col Needham to contributors on the first day of each calendar year. The annual newsletter lists various information about the past year on the site, including stats, top contributors tally for the year (the top 300 users, currently; fewer in previous years), and a perspective on the site's progress and future.{{cite web|url=https://contribute.imdb.com/czone/top_msg|title=IMDb Contribution: Top Contributor messages|first=Col|last=Needham|publisher=IMDb|date=|access-date=January 1, 2022|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101220234/https://contribute.imdb.com/czone/top_msg|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/best-of/col-needham-letter-2022|title=IMDb - Best of 2021|first=Col|last=Needham|publisher=IMDb|date=January 1, 2022|access-date=January 1, 2022|archive-date=January 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102084300/https://www.imdb.com/best-of/col-needham-letter-2022/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/TeV517n.png|title=IMDb - Happy New Year from IMDb / 2021 year end totals (with top 300 contributors)|first=Col|last=Needham|publisher=IMDb|date=January 1, 2022|access-date=January 1, 2022|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101223011/https://i.imgur.com/TeV517n.png|url-status=live}}

As an additional incentive for users, {{as of|2003|lc=y}}, users identified as one of the "top 100 contributors" of hard data received complimentary free access to IMDbPro for the following calendar year; for 2006 this was increased to the top 150 contributors, and for 2010 to the top 250.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/updates/guide/top_contributors#top2010|series=IMD; announcement|title=Top 250 contributors for 2010|access-date=August 25, 2011|first=Col|last=Needham|publisher=IMDb|date=January 1, 2011|archive-date=July 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711174602/https://contribute.imdb.com/updates/guide/top_contributors#top2010|url-status=live}}

In 2008, IMDb launched their first official foreign-language version with IMDb.de, in German. Also in 2008, IMDb acquired two other companies: Withoutabox{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-amazon-imdb-withoutabox-20181019-story.html|title=Amazon-owned IMDb ending film festival submission platform Withoutabox|last=Ng|first=David|website=Los Angeles Times|date=October 19, 2018|access-date=June 13, 2019|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111163626/https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-amazon-imdb-withoutabox-20181019-story.html|url-status=live}} and Box Office Mojo.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-imdb-acquires-box-office-mojo-will-add-box-office-data-to-service|title=Amazon's IMDB Acquires Box Office Mojo; Will Add Box Office Data To Service|date=December 18, 2008 |publisher=CBS News|language=en-US|access-date=June 13, 2019|archive-date=November 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112060453/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-imdb-acquires-box-office-mojo-will-add-box-office-data-to-service/|url-status=live}}

The website was originally Perl-based, but IMDb no longer discloses what software it uses for reasons of security, apart from mentioning The Apache Software Foundation.{{cite web|url=https://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/general-information/what-software-are-you-using-to-run-imdb/GH25HF4NB3C2KP9E|title=What software are you using to run IMDb?|publisher=IMDb|year=2017|access-date=November 16, 2017|archive-date=December 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204143203/https://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/general-information/what-software-are-you-using-to-run-imdb/GH25HF4NB3C2KP9E|url-status=live}} In 2010, the site was filtered in China.{{cite web|url=http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/china-blocks-number-one-movie-site-imdb-663458|title=China blocks number-one movie site IMDb|website=TechRadar|publisher=2012 Future US, Inc.|date=January 14, 2010|first=Marc|last=Chacksfield|access-date=November 3, 2012|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808051334/https://www.techradar.com/news/internet/china-blocks-number-one-movie-site-imdb-663458|url-status=live}}

In 2016, The IMDb Studio at Sundance was launched, a talk show that is presented on IMDb and YouTube.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5339266/?mode=desktop&ref_=m_ft_dsk|title=The IMDb Studio at Sundance|date=January 22, 2016|publisher=IMDb|access-date=December 25, 2020|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319075532/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5339266/?mode=desktop&ref_=m_ft_dsk|url-status=live}}{{cite AV media|title=Sundance 2020|language=en|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRDnnvx-4xZ0qDSHG_F7_tNoETjTUr6m0|format=video|publisher=IMDb|work=YouTube|access-date=December 26, 2020|archive-date=February 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219185539/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRDnnvx-4xZ0qDSHG_F7_tNoETjTUr6m0|url-status=live}}

In April 2017, IMDb celebrated its 25th anniversary. As of that year, Needham was still managing IMDb from its main office in Bristol in the Castlemead office tower.{{cite news|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/story-behind-bristol-based-imdb-25097|title=The story behind Bristol-based IMDb as they celebrate their 25th anniversary|first=Craig|last=Jones|publisher=The Bristol Post|date=April 13, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2021|archive-date=May 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142434/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/story-behind-bristol-based-imdb-25097|url-status=live}}

In January 2019, IMDb launched an ad-supported streaming service called Freedive.{{cite news|last=Mehta|first=Ivan|date=January 11, 2019|title=Amazon's new IMDb Freedive service streams ad-supported movies and TV shows in the US|work=The Next Web|url=https://thenextweb.com/world/2019/01/11/amazons-new-imdb-freedive-service-streams-ad-supported-movies-and-tv-shows-in-the-us|access-date=January 11, 2019|archive-date=January 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111232843/https://thenextweb.com/world/2019/01/11/amazons-new-imdb-freedive-service-streams-ad-supported-movies-and-tv-shows-in-the-us/|url-status=live}} This was the company's second attempt at a streaming service; it launched a similar service in 2008.{{cite news|last=Hoffman|first=Harrison|date=September 15, 2008|title=IMDb now serves full-length videos|publisher=CNET|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/imdb-now-serves-full-length-videos/|access-date=September 17, 2008|archive-date=February 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214052921/https://www.cnet.com/news/imdb-now-serves-full-length-videos/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Modine|first=Austin|date=September 16, 2008|title=IMDb adds full-length streaming movies (Show your US ID card at the door)|work=The Register|location=UK|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/16/imdb_adds_streaming_movies_and_tv|access-date=September 17, 2008|archive-date=September 18, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918074516/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/16/imdb_adds_streaming_movies_and_tv/|url-status=live}} In June 2019, Freedive was rebranded as IMDb TV.{{cite web|title=Amazon Rebrands IMDb Freedive as IMDb TV, Triples Content|url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/amazon-rebrands-imdb-freedive-as-imdb-tv-triples-content|website=PC Magazine|date=June 18, 2019 |access-date=June 15, 2020|archive-date=June 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615115443/https://www.pcmag.com/news/amazon-rebrands-imdb-freedive-as-imdb-tv-triples-content|url-status=live}} In April 2022, the service was rebranded again as Amazon Freevee.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/imdb-tv-rebrand-amazon-freevee-1235001502/|title=IMDb TV Streaming Service Rebrands As Amazon Freevee, Plans Launch In Germany And 70% More Originals|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|work=Deadline|language=en|date=April 13, 2022|access-date=May 16, 2022|archive-date=May 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531074309/https://deadline.com/2022/04/imdb-tv-rebrand-amazon-freevee-1235001502/|url-status=live}} On December 30, 2024, it was closed as an independent site and its content was merged into Amazon Prime Video.{{Cite tweet|author=Amazon Freevee|user=AmazonFreevee|number=1873853030892003549|title=.@PrimeVideo is the new exclusive home for Freevee TV shows, movies, and Live TV! Still free, still entertaining. Thank you for being part of our community. ❤️|date=December 30, 2024|access-date=January 3, 2025}}

In 2006, IMDb introduced its "Résumé Subscription Service", where an actor or crew member can post their résumé and upload photos{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023141910/http://www.lycos-europe.com/Index-Eng/G-English-Files/PR-20060710-IMDb.html|archive-date=October 23, 2006|url-status=dead|url=http://www.lycos-europe.com/Index-Eng/G-English-Files/PR-20060710-IMDb.html|title=Lycos Europe and IMDb sign sales agreement for 9 European markets|website=Lycos Europe|series=press release|date=July 10, 2006}} for a yearly fee.{{cite web|series=Resume FAQ|publisher=IMDb|url=https://resume.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?resumenotrecurring|title=Can I subscribe only for one month or one year?|access-date=January 22, 2008|archive-date=December 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204224549/https://pro.imdb.com/signup/index.html?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpro.imdb.com%2Ferrors%2F404%3Fresumenotrecurring|url-status=live}} IMDb résumé pages are kept on a sub-page of the regular entry about that person, with a regular entry automatically created for each résumé subscriber who does not already have one.{{cite web|url=https://resume.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?resumenamepagediff|title=Is there any difference between a regular IMDb name page and an IMDb name page created via IMDb Resume?|series=IMDB - Resume FAQ|publisher=IMDb|access-date=January 22, 2008|archive-date=October 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018170956/https://help.imdb.com/imdbpro?ref_=pro_redirect_help|url-status=live}}

Volunteers who contribute content to the database technically retain copyright on their contributions, but the compilation of the content becomes the exclusive property of IMDb with the full right to copy, modify, and sublicense it, and they are verified before posting.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/help/show_article|title=Copyright and Conditions of Use|publisher=IMDb|access-date=July 1, 2018|archive-date=November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127015915/https://help.imdb.com/imdb|url-status=live}} However, credit is not given on specific title or filmography pages to the contributor(s) who have provided information. Conversely, a credited text entry, such as a plot summary, may be corrected for content, grammar, sentence structure, perceived omission or error, by other contributors without having to add their names as co-authors. Due to the time required for processing submitted data or text before it is displayed, IMDb is different from user-contributed projects like Discogs, or OpenStreetMap, or Wikipedia, in that contributors cannot add, delete, or modify the data or text on impulse, and the manipulation of data is controlled by IMDb technology and salaried staff.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/interfaces#plain|title=The plain text data files|series=Alternate Interfaces|publisher=IMDb|date=|access-date=|archive-date=June 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630115002/https://www.imdb.com/interfaces/#plain|url-status=live}}

IMDb has been subject to deliberate additions of false information; in 2012 a spokesperson said: "We make it easy for users and professionals to update much of our content, which is why we have an 'edit page'. The data that is submitted goes through a series of consistency checks before it goes live. Given the sheer volume of the information, occasional mistakes are inevitable, and, when reported, they are promptly fixed. We always welcome corrections."{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/james-marsden-likes-barry-manilow-390278|title=Which A-list star is hacking IMDb pages?|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 14, 2012|access-date=February 25, 2013}}

The Java Movie Database (JMDB) is reportedly creating an IMDb_Error.log file that lists all the errors found while processing the IMDb plain text files. A Wiki alternative to IMDb is Open Media Database{{cite web|url=http://www.omdb.org/|title=Open Media Database|website=omdb.org|access-date=December 3, 2015|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116205551/https://www.omdb.org/|url-status=live}} whose content is also contributed by users but licensed under a Creative Commons license (CC BY) and the GFDL. Since 2007, IMDb has been experimenting with wiki-programmed sections for complete film synopses, parental guides, and FAQs about titles as determined by (and answered by) individual contributors.

IMDb, unlike other AI-automated queries, does not provide an API for automated queries. However, most of the data can be downloaded as compressed plain text files and the information can be extracted using the command-line interface tools provided.{{cite web|url=http://imdb.com/interfaces|title=Alternate Interfaces|publisher=IMDb|access-date=January 15, 2007|archive-date=February 4, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204232750/http://www.imdb.com/interfaces|url-status=live}} There is also a Java-based graphical user interface (GUI) application available that is able to process the compressed plain text files, which allows a search and a display of the information.{{cite web|url=http://www.jmdb.de/|title=Java Movie Database (JMDB)|website=Jmdb.de|access-date=October 27, 2010|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022141826/http://jmdb.de/|url-status=live}} This GUI application supports different languages, but the movie related data are in English, as made available by IMDb. A Python package called IMDbPY (since renamed cinemagoer) can also be used to process the compressed plain text files into a number of different SQL databases, enabling easier access to the entire dataset for searching or data mining.{{cite web|url=http://imdbpy.sourceforge.net/|title=IMDbPY|website=IMDbPY|publisher=sourceforge.net|access-date=February 14, 2011|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112021310/https://imdbpy.sourceforge.io/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://pypi.org/project/IMDbPY/|title=IMDbPy|publisher=pypi.org|access-date=25 July 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://pypi.org/project/cinemagoer/|title=cinemagoer|publisher=pypi.org|access-date=25 July 2023}}

On October 21, 2021, the site added the ability to add podcasts (both as series and episodes) as titles to the site, via an IMDb employee announcement on their Sprinklr forums.{{cite web|url=https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/launch-announcement-podcast-title-types/61717b39203b6a57f415ff7b|title=Launch Announcement: Podcast Title Types|work=IMDb Community Forums |publisher=Sprinklr|date=October 21, 2021|access-date=February 10, 2023}} {{as of|2022|December}}, the numbers of podcast series stood at 24,778, with podcast episodes at 3,076,386.

Annually, IMDb STARmeter Awards are presented to industry professionals in various categories. Professionals who have appeared in its annual "top 10 lists" are considered for this award. "IMDb determines its definitive top 10 lists using data from IMDbPro STARmeter rankings, which are based on the actual page views of the more than 200 million monthly visitors to the site."{{Cite web |last=Oganesyan |first=Natalie |date=2022-12-06 |title=Emma D'Arcy Receives IMDb Breakout Starmeter Award |url=https://www.thewrap.com/emma-darcy-house-of-the-dragon-imdb-breakout-stars/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}} Initially IMDb STARmeter Awards were given in two categories, IMDb Fan favorite STARmeter Award and IMDb Breakout STARmeter Award.{{Cite web |title=IMDb STARmeter Awards: Breakout Stars |url=https://www.imdb.com/list/ls087264100/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}} Celebrating 20th anniversary of IMDbPro, it launched IMDb Icon STARmeter Award, which is given to prominent artists of the industry who have appeared in the top 10 positions throughout the year.{{Cite web |last=Gardner |first=Chris |date=2022-03-03 |title=IMDb Honors Salma Hayek Pinault With Inaugural Icon STARmeter Award |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/salma-hayek-imdb-acting-award-icon-1235103138/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} Salma Hayek received the inaugural award.

In 2011, in the case of Hoang v. Amazon.com, Inc., IMDb was sued by an anonymous actress for at least {{Currency|1.075 million|USD}} because the movie website publicly disclosed her age (40, at the time) without her consent.{{cite magazine|url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/10/18/imdb-lawsuit|title=Lawsuit against IMDb revealing private information|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|first=Lindsey|last=Bahr|date=October 18, 2011|access-date=April 25, 2013|archive-date=May 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524191915/http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/10/18/imdb-lawsuit/|url-status=dead}} The actress claimed that revealing her age could cause her to lose acting opportunities.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15492579|title=Acting unions criticise IMDb in age row|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=October 29, 2011|access-date=October 29, 2011|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129062808/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15492579|url-status=live}} Judge Marsha J. Pechman, a US district judge in Seattle, dismissed the lawsuit, saying the actress had no grounds to proceed with an anonymous complaint. The actress re-filed and so revealed that she was Huong Hoang of Texas, who uses the stage name Junie Hoang.{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16144281|title=Actress sued Amazon for revealing age 40 identified as Huong (Junie) Hoang|publisher=Sky News|date=January 7, 2012|access-date=April 21, 2012|archive-date=June 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618061204/http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16144281|url-status=live}} In 2013, Pechman dismissed all causes of action except for a breach of contract claim against IMDb; a jury then sided with IMDb on that claim.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22120587|title=Actress age claim against IMDb rejected|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|access-date=April 12, 2013|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129071244/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22120587|url-status=live}} The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court judgment in March 2015.{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/imdb-preserves-legal-win-revelation-784985|title=IMDb preserves legal win over revelation of actress' age|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Eriq|last=Gardner|date=March 27, 2015|access-date=March 27, 2015}}

Also in 2011, in the case of United Video Properties Inc., et al. v. Amazon.Com Inc. et al.,{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/gov.uscourts.ded.45528|title=Case Docket: United Video Properties Inc., et al v. Amazon.Com Inc. et al.|website=gov.uscourts.ded.45528|publisher=RECAP|access-date=November 5, 2013}} IMDb and Amazon were sued by Rovi Corporation and others for patent infringement over their various program listing offerings.{{cite news|url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110105/03393312527/rovi-sues-amazon-not-licensing-its-electronic-tv-guide-patent.shtml|title=Rovi sues Amazon for not licensing its Electronic TV Guide patent|first=Mike|last=Masnick|newspaper=Techdirt|date=January 12, 2011|access-date=November 5, 2013|archive-date=November 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105105555/http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110105/03393312527/rovi-sues-amazon-not-licensing-its-electronic-tv-guide-patent.shtml|url-status=live}} The patent claims were ultimately construed in a way favorable to IMDb, and Rovi / United Video Properties lost the case.{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/11/netflix-roasts-rovis-interactive-tv-guide-patents-at-itc|title=Netflix roasts Rovi's 'Interactive TV guide' patents at ITC|website=Ars Technica|first=Joe|last=Mullin|date=November 4, 2013|access-date=November 5, 2013}} In April 2014, the decision was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals.{{cite book|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/cafc/13-1396/13-1396-2014-04-08.html|title=United Video Properties v. Amazon.com|publisher=law.justia.com|date=April 8, 2014|access-date=February 28, 2019|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025114623/https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/cafc/13-1396/13-1396-2014-04-08.html|url-status=live}}

In January 2017, the State of California enacted state bill AB-1687, a SAG-AFTRA-backed anti-ageism statute which requires "commercial online entertainment employment services" to honor requests by their subscribers for their ages and birthdays to be hidden.{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/california-enacts-law-requiring-imdb-932330|title=California enacts law requiring IMDb to remove actor ages on request|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=November 15, 2016}} By the beginning of 2017, IMDb had received more than 2,300 requests from individuals to remove their date of birth from the site. Included in this group were 10 Academy Award winners and another 71 nominated for Oscars, Emmys, or Golden Globes.{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/03/22/internet-censorship-hollywood-style/SnSepVsdtqkoAgqLQqj2SM/story.html|title=Internet censorship, Hollywood style|work=The Boston Globe|first=Hiawatha|last=Bray|date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516164039/http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/03/22/internet-censorship-hollywood-style/SnSepVsdtqkoAgqLQqj2SM/story.html|archive-date=May 16, 2017}} On February 23, 2017, Judge Vince Girdhari Chhabria issued a stay on the bill pending a further trial, on the ground that it possibly violated the First Amendment because it inhibited the public consumption of information. He also questioned the intent of the bill, as it was ostensibly meant to target IMDb.{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/judge-pauses-enforcement-imdb-age-censorship-law-978797|title=Judge pauses enforcement of IMDb Age Censorship law|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=February 23, 2017}} In February 2018, Chhabria struck down the statute,{{cite news |last1=Gardner |first1=Eriq |title=California's IMDb Age Censorship Law Declared Unconstitutional |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/californias-imdb-age-censorship-law-declared-unconstitutional-1086540 |accessdate=February 23, 2018|work=Hollywood Reporter |date=February 20, 2018}} and in June 2020, the Ninth Circuit affirmed Chhabria's judgement, holding that the statute was an unconstitutional content-based restriction that violated the First Amendment.{{cite news |last1=Volokh |first1=Eugene |authorlink1=Eugene Volokh |title=Ninth Circuit Strikes Down Statute Limiting IMDb's Display of Actor Ages |url=https://reason.com/2020/06/20/ninth-circuit-strikes-down-statute-limiting-imdbs-display-of-actor-ages/ |accessdate=July 27, 2020 |work=The Volokh Conspiracy |publisher=Reason |date=June 21, 2020}}[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4549061907918157766 IMDb.com v. Becerra, et al.], nos. 18-15463, 18-15469 (9th Cir. June 19, 2020).

IMDb had long maintained that it would keep all valid information, but changed that policy related to birth names in 2019, instead removing birth names that are not widely and publicly known, of persons who no longer use their birth names.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/actors/imdb-alters-policy-publication-birth-names-1203300451|title=IMDb Alters Policy on Publication of Birth Names|first1=Dave|last1=McNary|work=Variety|date=August 13, 2019|access-date=March 7, 2020|archive-date=February 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215035656/https://variety.com/2019/film/actors/imdb-alters-policy-publication-birth-names-1203300451/|url-status=live}} This was done in response to pressure from LGBTQ groups against the publication of the birth names of transgender people without their consent (deadnaming). Any name a person had previously been credited under, however, continues to be maintained in the credits section.

{{as of|2025|March|28}}, IMDb tracked 13 categories:{{cite web |title=Press Room |url=https://www.imdb.com/pressroom/stats |access-date=May 11, 2022 |publisher=IMDb |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429162254/https://www.imdb.com/pressroom/stats/ |url-status=live }}

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• {{cite magazine | last=Lurrie | first=Stephen | title=Meet the Superusers Behind IMDb, the Internet's Favorite Movie Site | magazine=WIRED | date=2023-02-21 | url=https://www.wired.com/story/superusers-behind-imdb-the-internets-favorite-movie-site/ | access-date=2023-02-26}}

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