General Hospital : IMDB is diabling their boards 2/20

I assume you all received the same message, but here it is in case you haven't.


"IMDb is the worlds most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. As part of our ongoing effort to continually evaluate and enhance the customer experience on IMDb, we have decided to disable IMDbs message boards on February 20, 2017. This includes the Private Message system. After in-depth discussion and examination, we have concluded that IMDbs message boards are no longer providing a positive, useful experience for the vast majority of our more than 250 million monthly users worldwide. The decision to retire a long-standing feature was made only after careful consideration and was based on data and traffic.

Increasingly, IMDb customers have migrated to IMDbs social media accounts as the primary place they choose to post comments and communicate with IMDbs editors and one another. IMDbs Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/imdb) and official Twitter account (https://twitter.com/imdb) have an audience of more than 10 million engaged fans. IMDb also maintains official accounts on Snapchat (https://www.snapchat.com/add/imdblive), Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/imdbofficial/), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/imdb), and Tumblr (http://imdb.tumblr.com/).

Because IMDbs message boards continue to be utilized by a small but passionate community of IMDb users, we announced our decision to disable our message boards on February 3, 2017 but will leave them open for two additional weeks so that users will have ample time to archive any message board content theyd like to keep for personal use. During this two-week transition period, which concludes on February 19, 2017, IMDb message board users can exchange contact information with any other board users they would like to remain in communication with (since once we shut down the IMDb message boards, users will no longer be able to send personal messages to one another). We regret any disappointment or frustration IMDb message board users may experience as a result of this decision.

IMDb is passionately committed to providing innovative ways for our hundreds of millions of users to engage and communicate with one another. We will continue to enhance our current offerings and launch new features in 2017 and beyond that will help our customers communicate and express themselves in meaningful ways while leveraging emerging technologies and opportunities."

I just read it, isn't that amazing? I've been on these boards a long time and IMO the community has grown significantly since that time. I'm shocked that they feel there isn't enough traffic to warrant maintaining the them.

All insults will be interpreted as an admission that you cannot contribute to the discussion.

As much as I will miss it, I get why they are doing it. If there is not enough traffic why bother.



I find your lack of foreskin disturbing

I don't think their decision has anything to do with lack of traffic or involvement on the boards. I think it has to do with people posting links for illegal downloads, which I have seen on several boards. On one of the boards that I participate in, we have repeatedly reported these links, but they keep cropping up every day. I also think it has to do with the number of complaints and reports they receive, and not wanting to have to spend time moderating conflicts.

Well, I'm bummed and a little shocked/surprised. Really enjoy coming on this board. The IMDB message mentioned their Facebook page as an alternative. Has anyone tried that in the past? Any alternative GH message boards that you would recommend?

Well the one thing I've said about IMDB message boards is that its the only board of its kind that doesn't use mods, but rather admins. Admins swoop in from time to time versus mods who are there pretty much daily to make sure things aren't getting out of hand, and, to delete posts that have illegal downloads.

Though to be fair, a mod for every movie every show every actor, even if you had a rotating team that covered several, is impossible. So I guess its a miracle it lasted as long as it did.

that is why never open any links under a thread. not only that. it could lead to a virus or a hacker getting your information off whatever device you are using

I am going to miss these message boards. I have social media accounts but don't get into them like I do these message boards. I hope they will give us a chance to speak out and fight for them to continue.

I agree with all of the above. I know we were able to get them to re-instate our favorite emoticons, but I doubt we'll be able to change their minds on this issue. They seem more interested in getting more traffic to their other social media sites.

All insults will be interpreted as an admission that you cannot contribute to the discussion.

well that sucks.

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist

Shame. This is the only place I really go to to talk about this soap. Everything else (other showss, movies, et al) I do on various messageboards, but General Hospital is pretty much exclusively here.

Quarter of a billion users monthly and that's not enough? Wow.

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Shame. This is the only place I really go to to talk about this soap. Everything else (other showss, movies, et al) I do on various messageboards, but General Hospital is pretty much exclusively here.

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This really really does suck. IMDB is the only place I come to talk about anything I watch (even if I don't post much I'm still an avid lurker).

What do we want?
Time travel!
When do we want it?
It's irrelevant!

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Me too. This really sucks. I always use IMDb to talk about my favorite shows etc.

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens

I'm sad. I always come to the imdb for comments on my favorite movie or show. I'm going to miss it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee925OTFBCA


This black bro expresses how I feel about IMDB closing. I love you IMDB.



I find your lack of foreskin disturbing

Same here. I will miss the boards as well. It was fun to share my input regarding various forms of media(aka soaps, movies, TV shows, etc). Regarding the soaps, there is Bachchat( although I have only seen a GH Board, but I have not been on it in awhile, Soap Central, and She Knows.com.

Thanks for the info Kathy. I am seriously bummed. I really enjoy the discussions here. Wow, I checked and I have been an IMDB member for 12 years! I really have no interest to going to any of their other sites. I am already an active twitter user but you can't have the convos we have had here. I also have another GH message board, but I don't go very often because the people there are just so negative about everything. I will miss the games we have here. I will miss the snark & fun & rumors & Dedoc. I will miss Y'all indulging me my Lante love. I miss the insights from people that have met the stars, writers etc. I will miss you all. If anyone decides to set up an alternate GH board, please let me know.

That's unfortunate since a lot of info could be found on the boards that couldn't be found on the info part of their web. So IMDB will basically be less informative than Wiki now.

It's sad to put that blame on the posters though when that situation is the same as its always been. More than likely has to do with costs than anything.

I am disappointed as this is the only reason I use IMDb. Bye bye in two weeks.

Obviously it's $. That's why they mention the other sites- where they can 'offload' the costs.

Have they weighed in that they're now going to have a ton of less readers? One of the main reasons people go to IMDB is for the boards. All other info it has can be found just about anywhere on the net most of which is rarely sought by people but a few times a month?

I come here strictly for the boards, as I'm sure most people do. They are going to see a HUGE drop in their traffic.

I only come here for the boards also. Without them there won't be any point in coming to the IMDB anymore.

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I come here strictly for the boards, as I'm sure most people do. They are going to see a HUGE drop in their traffic.

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Me too. I agree, They definetely will.

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens

But have they considered how much money and traffic they are going to lose without the message boards? The message boards are my sole purpose for visiting this site, without the message boards, IMDB is just Wikipedia.

Prob not, but they figure that the cost benefit weighs in favor of offloading.

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we have concluded that IMDb's message boards are no longer providing a positive, useful experience for the vast majority of our more than 250 million monthly users worldwide

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People being too negative and attacking people on message boards. That's why they are getting rid of it. The board that came to mind when I read was the Titanic one. My god those Rose haters are ridiculous.

It's going to be sad but I like that they are doing this. This has been the best GH board I've been on where people weren't so sensitive.

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Little Mikey Myers that lived across the street.

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The board that came to mind when I read was the Titanic one.

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I immediately thought of TWD board, now that board is horrendous!

All insults will be interpreted as an admission that you cannot contribute to the discussion.

Ha you can say that again. The armpit of the Internets

Then they should only close down the ones that are a problem.

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Then they should only close down the ones that are a problem.

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This. I was gonna say the same thing. There are MANY message boards on IMDb that are positive.

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens

This is sickening. They are not "passionately committed" to anything. How on earth can they say that the vast majority of users are not having a positive, useful experience? Show us the data to prove that. Really, there are more trolls than actual posters here? No.

Thanks for nothing, IMDB.

It's clearly monetary. By going to Twitter and other sites they are NOT spending $ hosting. Millions of posts a month takes up lots of space. Simple economics- why many orgs post videos on YT and don't host themselves.

yea it popped up when i opened the message board

This saddens me. I don't post here much and my viewing of GH has been limited over the years, but I've always kept up by reading this board. I've enjoyed the banter between the regular posters. I've learned so much about the show's history from long-time viewers. It's weird, but this board is like a family of sorts and definitely a soap itself with colorful characters!

I missed BapaJohn when he stopped posting so I know I'll miss those of you I've become familiar with. Take care Friends and hopefully we can connect again on another platform.

Same here,I'm really gonna miss all of you guys.

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens

I'm still upset by this news.

I guess I'll just be posting on the General Hospital Snark Facebook page. I know radrob posts there occasionally too (not as much as me though). This is going to kill traffic on IMDb. Oh well, around 20 years is pretty good for the boards.

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This is going to kill traffic on IMDb.

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This!^ While I do come to IMDb to look up a particular movie/show/actor/actresses, I come here first and foremost, and spend the most time, on the boards. I wonder when all those accidental ad clicks dollars disappear, if they'll reconsider.

All insults will be interpreted as an admission that you cannot contribute to the discussion.

I am sorry to read this news. I think imdb's message boards are a great place to go when you have a question about something you've watched or something you've missed. It's too bad if some posters have ruined this for everyone.

this sucksI hang at soapcentral occasionallythey have al the soaps there but I just do GH

Well, crap.

It's not because of 'lack of traffic', it's about the trolls who cannot be contained and the people with an 'itchy trigger finger' on the report button didn't help either. All people have to do if they do not agree with a particular poster is put them on ignore, as for the people who post links to 'illegal' downloads just do not reply and they will eventually go away. But no, people just have to make a comment when it isn't necessary.
Just take a look at the DOOL board (multiply that by the hundreds of other boards with the same problem), look back a few pages and you will see tons of deleted posts (deleted by the admins) because some people didn't like someones post. Every time they hit the report button (sometimes 10-15 times in one thread) because they didn't like that particular post, just made more work for the admins and pissed them off. This is the result.






Maybe life is a dream and we wake up when we die?

Awww man I'm going to miss posting on imdb I always found it fun.

So annoying. I come to IMDB everyday to look at my message boards. lol It's too soon.

I am truly sad and I will miss you all.. Dedoc always makes me laugh. Please post where you all will go. I've never posted or read anywhere but here.

Well this blows ugly veiny donkey dung! I'm not present on other social media sites, nor do I care to be. This is a great forum for discussions, history and thoughts about GH. Soap Cental and Soaps She Knows felt "censored" to me, unlike this Board of Misfits who I'd be proud to call my Friends. Grrrrrrrrr!

I'm assuming a troll is a mean, nasty person in the social media sense. I'm not always up to date on the tech lingo. I'm guessing the term came from the nasty troll that harassed the goats in the kiddie tale " The Billy Goats Gruff". I recall the troll did not want anyone to pass over his bridge.

A troll is not necessarily mean or rude, just someone who makes it difficult to maintain a conversation because they constantly hijack threads with their own issues.