IMDB now automatically creating user accounts when you are signed into Amazon

6 points by terminalbraid 32 days ago | 9 comments

I discovered the hard way that IMDB is now automatically creating accounts for you if you are signed in with amazon and it appears details such as my name and email are being shared without my consent. Several other people are also reporting this.

PopAlongKid 32 days ago |

Perhaps related to a recent change, where you now must be logged in to IMDB.com in order to view the User Reviews for movies.

valeg 32 days ago |

Amazon has been an absolutely terrible custodian of IMDb. I am still nostalgic about user forums...

leros 32 days ago |

Are they really sharing anything without your consent though? IMDB is part of Amazon.

al_borland 32 days ago |

I had this happen to me yesterday. I immediately deleted the account it created (I already had one under a different email address). I sent very negative feedback to IMDB about it, they emailed me back today with a pretty generic response.

To me, this crosses a major line. I don't feel I can trust any site Amazon owns going forward. Any accounts I have currently with this (including my preexisting IMDB account) I now plan to delete, and avoid like the plague so I avoid having more accounts created without my consent. I think people need to react very negatively to this, as it sets a horrible precedent. Imagine every site that currently pops up with "Sign-in with Google" just taking it upon themselves to proactively create an account for simply visiting the page.

I found this help article that explains they're doing it. This doesn't make it better, it just shows it isn't a mistake. Someone made this decision, it was supported internally, and implemented.

https://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/general-information/imdb-...

toomuchtodo 32 days ago |

Are there any open alternatives to IMDB?

SockThief 32 days ago | |

There's TMDb

https://www.themoviedb.org/

beardyw 32 days ago | | |

+1 for TMDB. A breath of fresh air in comparison, simple but elegant. Also has a comprehensive API.

worldsavior 32 days ago | |

Why do you need an open alternative?

toomuchtodo 32 days ago | | |

To defend against enshittification. Why would I use a big tech controlled resource when avoidable? If I avoid consuming or building on imdb in this context, I avoid inevitable platform decay. Investing in and leveraging public goods > eventual rug pull. Try to avoid the rug pull, when efficient to do so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/the-age-of... | https://archive.is/Pn0tm

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/10/10/cory_doctorow