IMDb - Worth a look

Founded in 1990 by Col Needham as a Usenet group, IMDb has grown into the world's most authoritative entertainment database.

IMDb official Website‌: https://www.imdb.com

Overview

Acquired by Amazon in 1998, it now serves 250+ million monthly users with comprehensive data on:

8.5+ million titles (films/TV/games)
12+ million cast/crew profiles
83+ million registered user ratings

The platform combines crowdsourced data with industry verification, maintaining accuracy through strict moderation. Its iconic 10-star rating system (weighted to prevent manipulation) influences industry decisions and audience choices alike.

Core Features & Navigation

A. Database Functions:
Title Search: Filter by genre/year/language with advanced sorting
Name Search: Detailed filmographies with biographical data
Trivia/Goofs: User-submitted production insights

B. Premium Services (IMDbPro):
Industry contacts ($19.99/month)
Box office analytics
Project development tracking

C. Community Features:
Watchlist customization
Forum discussions (regulated since 2017 toxicity reforms)
Personalized recommendations

Technical Architecture

IMDb's infrastructure handles:
15,000+ daily title updates
API integrations with studios/Festivals
Proprietary "STARMeter" algorithm tracking celebrity popularity trends
The mobile app (4.7/5 on app stores) offers AR features like "X-Ray" for identifying actors during Prime Video playback.

Cultural Impact

A. Industry Influence:
Oscars prediction accuracy: 78% for Best Picture nominees
Used by 92% of Hollywood casting directors (2024 WGA report)

B. Controversies:
Review bombing incidents (e.g., Captain Marvel 2019)
Gender representation debates (only 34% of profiles are female)