Any way to find out who added an IMDB bio?

[Robert Moulton]

Is there any way to determine who added, or when it was added, a bio on the IMDB?

I'm trying to verify some birthdate and name information but don't want to end up in a circular loop.

[silentfilm]

If it is a written mini-biography, those are usually credited to the author (or at least their username). For birthdates and death dates, no source is ever given. The IMDB is worried about users copying data from published sources and then getting sued for copyright violations, so they never cite printed sources.

[boblipton]

IMDB bios, like reviews are credited. There are some people who work for the IMDB. Those that do not are vetted by the IMDB staff. You may take their diligence at whatever value you wish.

Because I assume you've looked at a bio and noticed this fact, I imagine you are aware that names on the IMDB are self-chosen. I was confirming what I wrote in the first paragraph and happened upon Patrick Stewart's bio, which is written by "International Audience Alliance for Patrick Stewart (IAAPS)", whatever that may mean. I used to take part in the postal Diplomacy hobby and Len Lakofka was in charge of the "National Fantasy Fan Federation Games Bureau Diplomacy Division", (the N3F had been a real sf fan organization at some point). This was known in the hobby as the NFFFGBDD, pronounced "Bunchaletters"; I would attribute the same pedigree to IAAPS.

The nominal procedure is that when attempting to add some information to the IMDB, such as birthdays, it helps to offer some source. In actual practice, they are usually not so cautious in adding information; we know that a lot of Dates of Birth depend on whether the studio was angry at the star that week; so that indicates the level of accuracy I would expect. Changing incorrect information is harder. I have had a request for a change for screen credits for William Gillette to Billy Gillette (I) for several weeks now.

Bob

[boblipton]

If it is a written mini-biography, those are usually credited to the author (or at least their username). For birth dates and death dates, no source is ever given. The IMDB is worried about users copying data from published sources and then getting sued for copyright violations, so they never cite printed sources.

Izzatso? A year or so ago, someone sent me a note that someone had lifted a sentence or two of one of my IMDB reviews for a TV movie and used it for a description in a listing table. I agreed that it clearly was taken, but because it might be claimed to be "fair use" and probably wouldn't be a significant drag on the money I expect my IMDB reviews to earn me, I didn't do anything.

Bob

[silentfilm]

If the IMDB credited their information, then we'd see notations like (from the film's credits), (from production documents), (from the filmography by David Robinson), and of course (identified by several Nitratevillians at Cinecon).

[sepiatone]

When you look at it why would you need to know 'who' added a bio/birthdates/deathdates etc when we all use alias? Not all bio information on performers etc. come from film related sources. Many people had theatre careers and a ton of info can come from Broadway related sources. Since IMDb is a great big list and lists are not perfect anywhere, I'm surprised however at the amount of accuracy on IMDb (and I'm a contributor). When the ordinary John and Mary Doe are given a task to research, they tend to do an accurate job more often than not. That's just my observation.

[Harlowgold]

If it is a written mini-biography, those are usually credited to the author (or at least their username). For birth dates and death dates, no source is ever given. The IMDB is worried about users copying data from published sources and then getting sued for copyright violations, so they never cite printed sources.

Izzatso? A year or so ago, someone sent me a note that someone had lifted a sentence or two of one of my IMDB reviews for a TV movie and used it for a description in a listing table. I agreed that it clearly was taken, but because it might be claimed to be "fair use" and probably wouldn't be a significant drag on the money I expect my IMDB reviews to earn me, I didn't do anything.

Bob

I've had my comments published elsewhere ever so slightly paraphrased and used on book dust jacket copy, there's nothing you can really do about it. Heck on IMDb I've had other reviewers basically rewrite my review and post it.

[CoffeeDan]

If it is a written mini-biography, those are usually credited to the author (or at least their username). For birth dates and death dates, no source is ever given. The IMDB is worried about users copying data from published sources and then getting sued for copyright violations, so they never cite printed sources.

Izzatso? A year or so ago, someone sent me a note that someone had lifted a sentence or two of one of my IMDB reviews for a TV movie and used it for a description in a listing table. I agreed that it clearly was taken, but because it might be claimed to be "fair use" and probably wouldn't be a significant drag on the money I expect my IMDB reviews to earn me, I didn't do anything.

Bob

I've had my comments published elsewhere ever so slightly paraphrased and used on book dust jacket copy, there's nothing you can really do about it. Heck on IMDb I've had other reviewers basically rewrite my review and post it.

OK, now I'll tell one:

Some years ago at the TCM forums, a discussion thread opened on the subject of film distribution at the movie studios -- in other words, what studios owned what films? Since that's been a subject I have followed closely since my college film programming days, I wrote a very detailed post on it, even to the point of telling how certain film libraries ended up at different studios. I got a lot of compliments and thanks on it, even from TCM programming director Charlie Tabesh.

About a year later, another poster mentioned he had written to TCM on the same subject and posted their reply in the same discussion thread. It was my original post, copied word for word!

[Robert Moulton]

Yes, it's exactly a birthdate and birth name I want to find the source of. Sounds like I'm out of luck on finding who supplied.

I've been doing some genealogy research and the first thing I learned is that in a nation of 100 million plus people you are going to have all sorts of people with the same name and close birth dates. Seeing something that looks close and thinking 'well that must be Mr X, who else could it be?' almost inevitably leads to error.

All I wanted to find out is how someone came up with a given birthdate and birthname. I think I see their source but I know it is most likely wrong because the parents' countries of births are not correct.

By the way, I tried signing on to my IMDB account to see if that gave me any extra visibility. It didn't but I was forced to register somehow and now have no change history of my own that I have made over the years. Not a big deal but lousy processing on IMDBs part.