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80 Messages

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4.7K Points

Mon, Oct 29, 2018 10:40 PM

Numerous reviews down-voted in a suspiciously short period of time

Hi

15 of my reviews, all written today and yesterday, have been down-voted in a matter of five or so minutes. This is including all but one (the most recent) of the reviews written today, a few of which within seconds of being submitted which is suspicious in itself. I have checked the pages of the films, episodes and cartoons reviewed with more than one review to see whether they had been affected. They weren't, only me and for all of them mine is the most recent review which does not make any sense. I am convinced that somebody, and it's clearly the same person for so many reviews to be down-voted in a ridiculously short period of time, is targeting me and my reviews and that is not a nice feeling when you don't know or understand what you've done wrong, the case with me.

If I have done anything wrong, here is an apology in advance and I will address it, being someine who has never had any intentions of doing anything that would offend. This is not the first time this has happened, it happened with all of my 'Once Upon a Time' reviews a few weeks ago and still continued after I reported it, and although this may seem like a trivial thing to some it has left me feeling stressed which is not good for my health. I am feeling embarrassed thinking people visiting my profile and seeing 0 out of 1 and 1 out 2 people find it helpful for nearly every review visible and get the wrong idea about me. Considering that I put a lot of thought, care and time in writing the reviews, and as thoughtfully, perceptively and civilly as possible, when there has been an increase of non-reviews of one or two vapid sentences with little reasoning and a good deal of critic bashing written within a minute or two, this treatment is a slap in the face. I know and understand that you are likely to not be able to do much about it, but if this issue was addressed in some way I'd be grateful. This is mainly to make you aware that it's happening.

Thank you

Responses

4.2K Messages

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133.7K Points

2 years ago

Numerous reviews down-voted in a suspiciously short period of time
by Bethany
Posted 4 minutes ago
https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/people/bethany_6050787
- - -

missing review
by Bethany
Posted 9 months ago
https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/missing-review-qbs87nsx79d

TheLittleSongbird
IMDb member since January 2009
My name is Bethany
https://www.imdb.com/user/ur20552756/
https://www.imdb.com/user/ur20552756/ratings - 15,030 titles
https://www.imdb.com/user/ur20552756/reviews - 15,041 Reviews

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6.4K Messages

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156.9K Points

2 years ago

I don't think much can be done about this, apart from counteracting the down-votes with up-votes. Maybe if the culprit commits an actual violation of IMDb's Terms and Conditions enough times, the proxy IMDb user accounts would be suspended, possibly entailing certain inputs from them being rescinded.

Champion

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13.6K Messages

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413.5K Points

2 years ago

Hi Bethany,

If I recall correctly, you are one of IMDb's top reviewers.

I did not find the previous comments from the first two users to be very helpful. I am not aware of any systematic attempt to down vote reviews. I up voted one of your more recent reviews (a Pinky and the Brain episode), which I found helpful.

I agree with what Jeorj wrote that there is probably little that IMDb can do to counteract the down voting of your reviews on a systematic basis.

I looked at your reviews that you posted on 28-Oct-2018. I noticed that 16 of your reviews were down voted. Frankly, I do not understand why anyone would consider these 16 reviews unhelpful.

This is an issue that IMDb staff will have to review to determine whether someone is targeting your reviews.

80 Messages

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4.7K Points

Thank you Dan. That was very helpful and means a lot. I appreciate Jeorj's reply as well, was expecting to be told not much is likely to be done and completely understand why. For the time being, I'll try and move on and hope it doesn't happen again, but will keep an eye on it. I will admit I also didn't find Cliff or Act's replies helpful, but didn't want to cause an argument if I said so, also found Cliff's rather shirty but maybe it's just me. I am quite relieved that there is somebody else who thinks the concern is legitimate and doesn't understand why the reviews were down-voted, instead of it being just me and being in my head.

4.2K Messages

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133.7K Points

I will admit I also didn't find Cliff or Act's replies helpful...
by Bethany
- - -

Hi!  Bethany

My reply has a link to Your 15,041 Reviews for others here to read ... (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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4.2K Messages

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133.7K Points

6.4K Messages

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156.9K Points

Yes, ACT_1's reply was for readers of the topic other than the creator of the topic.

80 Messages

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4.7K Points

2 years ago

Thank you for the replies. I did prepare myself for being told not much can be done and expected it. I'll just grin and bear it and hope it doesn't happen again. I'm sorry if I've rubbed anybody up the wrong way with this post, seeing the negative votes for that many reviews in a matter of minutes just didn't seem right and was not a nice way to end a bad day, hence what has clearly come over as an over-reaction. I'm autistic too so that's another reason. Sorry for writing so much too, I'm a bit of a rambler, can go into too much detail and tend to try and justify myself.

Champion

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13.6K Messages

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413.5K Points

CliffJ,

I disagree. Would you suggest that AO Scott or Manohla Dargis keep their reviews to one paragraph?

Bethany has a legitimate concern. However, it may be difficult for IMDb remedy the issue unless this occurs on a regular basis.

80 Messages

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4.7K Points

Thank you for that condescending reply Cliff. I go out of my way to apologise for coming over the way I did and this is the reply I get. Please do not tell me how to write my reviews and what length to do them at, you may have intended it to be a suggestion but it didn't come over that way. I like to go into detail about every component like reviews in my mind should, that can't be done in the length of my reply just then. Lengthier reviews are far more useful and better written generally than short ones, a lot of them not really being reviews. And a length of a review has nothing to do with how bad a day you have or how low you feel, what does writing shorter reviews have anything to do with how anybody is feeling and whether it makes them better? Writing reviews is one of my biggest passions and actually one of the things that makes me happy and a welcome release for me. Hence why I do it so often, another reason too why this has upset me. Maybe you didn't intend to come over the way you did in my mind, but that was a reply that for me was not helpful and rather snarky.

6.4K Messages

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156.9K Points

Well, it is possible that the reviews are long enough to fly right over some obnoxious secondary school dropouts' heads, which might be the point CliffJ is trying to make. I wonder if multiple reviewers are being given the same treatment. It's impossible for the general public and  IMDb non-staff to tell.

80 Messages

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4.7K Points

2 years ago

Thank you for the compliments Cliff, really appreciated, it is always great when someone tells me they like my reviews and I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from many. It is nice that people appreciate the shorter reviews I wrote when I was younger when my film taste was quite narrow and my writing style different to the way it is now. I feel though the longer reviews are better written, more detailed, more perceptive and with less comments that I'm embarrassed over in retrospect as my knowledge broadened. I am really sorry too about taking your reply the wrong way and now understand what you were trying to say. This is what happens when one is tired and upset, they misinterpret things that are said or written to them.

Employee

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8.9K Messages

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224.9K Points

2 years ago

Hi Bethany -

Concerning the Bad votes, I have alerted the applicable team who will investigate further.  Cheers!

42 Messages

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1.4K Points

2 years ago

Hey, I can understand your frustrations. I too went with such an issue couple of months back where the entire season of Mad Men and Arrested Development were pinned down like such. And regarding what you said about how upsetting it can be, all I would like to say is that there are people still reading your work daily and appreciating it and I am one of them. So ignore them if possible. 

Employee

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8.9K Messages

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224.9K Points

2 years ago

Hi Bethany -

I'm just following up here to confirm that the appropriate team investigated the Reviews and votes in question and did not identify any suspicious behavior or abusive targeting.  Cheers!

80 Messages

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4.7K Points

2 years ago

Thank you for the update Michelle. Much appreciated. Have an update of my own. I have figured out what it was about my reviews that caused the down-votes (the samey wording of some), having had it mentioned to me here and I took note. This is something that I began to address since posting this post here and especially when the issue happened again not long after. It's been fully addressed now (or from my estimations it has), and I have not had the issue since and hope it stays that way.
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