Domain Due Diligence
Report for Rottentomatoes.com
Why we think so
Rotten Tomatoes is a well-established entertainment website specializing in aggregated film and TV reviews. It ranks highly globally (#701) with over 73 million monthly visits, mainly from the United States. Owned by Versant Media, LLC and registered since 1999, it uses reputable technologies and content delivery networks. While the site itself is secure and legitimate, it has faced controversies over critics being paid by PR firms to inflate scores, leading to concerns about review manipulation rather than outright fraud against users. There are no credible reports of financial scams or user losses directly linked to the site. Overall, Rotten Tomatoes is authentic but users should be aware that some ratings may be influenced by external payments.
Risk Insights
Long-term Registered Domain
High Traffic and Usage
Review Manipulation Controversy
Contradictory Signals
Although the site is operational and authentic, the reliability of its reviews is compromised by external paid influence.
Signal A: Legitimate domain, security, and traffic data indicate validity.
Signal B: Credible allegations of review manipulation affect trustworthiness.
Category Scores
Red Flags & Warnings
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Allegations and evidence of paid reviews by PR firms violating site policies and affecting review scores.
π Detailed Checks & Analysis
Domain Authenticity
Domain Authenticity
"Long-term domain ownership and SSL validity strongly support authenticity."
Reason: The domain has been active since 1999, registered via a reputable registrar (MarkMonitor), and holds a valid SSL certificate issued by DigiCert.
Traffic and Popularity
Traffic and Popularity
"Such traffic level is typical for a major, authentic entertainment website."
Reason: The site ranks #701 globally with about 73 million monthly visits, predominantly from the US.
Use of Technology
Use of Technology
"Technology stack reflects a solid infrastructure."
Reason: The website uses multiple trusted technologies, content delivery networks, and analytics tools indicating professional operation.
Blacklist and Security Reputation
Blacklist and Security Reputation
"Shows no known security threats or associations with scam activities."
Reason: No records of phishing, malware, or blacklisting on Google Safe Browsing or crypto scam lists.
Reputation and Reports
Reputation and Reports
"Manipulated reviews undermine trust despite no direct scam or financial fraud."
Reason: Evidence of review manipulation by PR firms paying critics, compromising rating integrity.
Your Next Steps
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1Use Rotten Tomatoes as a film rating resource but be cautious about potential review manipulation affecting scores.
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2Cross-check reviews and ratings with other sources like IMDb or Metacritic for a balanced view.
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3Avoid any paid services or offers advertised on the site as direct financial scams have not been reported.
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4Report suspicious reviews or content directly to Rotten Tomatoes if encountered.
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5Stay informed about media literacy to recognize potential rating manipulations.
Evidence & Citations
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PR Firm Paying Rotten Tomatoes Critics for Positive Reviews
Details the paid review scandal impacting score integrity on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Rotten Tomatoes Domain Registrar and SSL Info
Proof of legitimate domain registration and secure site certificate.
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Rotten Tomatoes Traffic and Technology Overview
Current traffic statistics and technology stack indicating site legitimacy.
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Reports on User Financial Loss via Rotten Tomatoes
Confirms no direct scams causing user monetary loss.
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