The diminishing transformation of Internet Movie Database by Amazon is a prime example of enshittification. What was once the go-to film hub online has gradually turned into a platform that is now difficult to navigate, obsolete and filled with adverts.
The history of IMDb can be traced back to the 1980s when Col Needham, a British software engineer, created a database to collate data relating to various films he had watched. In 1990, he transformed it into a Usenet group. Three years later it became a website on the fledgling World Wide Web. By 1998, the corporate behemoth Amazon acquired it.
The late 1990s and 2000s were like the Wild West for internet users. Regulations were less stringent than they are today, as exemplified by the once infamous forums of IMDb. While some topics were trolled to oblivion with highly offensive comments, others provided informative help that expanded one's artistic tastes and horizons. IMDb was a prime (no pun intended) example of the proverbial double edged sword.
On 20 February 2017, IMDb permanently closed its message boards. The official reasons were a decline in traffic, users opting for alternative social platforms and the rise in toxic behaviour. Since then, the site’s appeal has greatly declined.
The search for relevant information became more challenging. For instance, adult film actors’ filmographies were unlisted. This necessitated Google searching (preferably in Incognito mode) for a link to their IMDb page; a cumbersome workaround. A more recent change, is omitting the year of birth for many actors; information than can be found elsewhere online; another unnecessary effort for the site user. Furthermore, the pervasive promotion of Prime movies and TV shows dominated every page, even with the use of an ad blocker.
The ability to read user reviews has been removed for anyone not signed up to IMDb. The official reason to stop review bombing and trolling. However, it's another reason for the site to gather personal information and raises concerns about its potential misuse. User reviews were often more honest and less performative than those on Letterboxd, where celebrity users tended to obsess over one liners and follower counts. Additionally the reviews represented the great unwashed, offering better insights on a movie more succinctly and honestly than professional critics compelled to write extensive analyses while also expressing unrelated political, religious and current affair views behind their employer's paywall site or their personal Substack.
Consequently, IMDb has now become another valuable resource turned increasingly obsolete via its changes. It is destined to join be buries alongside MySpace, GeoCities and other defunct popular sites in the internet graveyard.
R.I.P.