WebVetted β„’ Beta
Recommendation
Caution
Overall Summary
Suspicious
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.

Confidence Score
85%

Risk Insights

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Long-term Registered Domain

Domain active since 1999
Registered with MarkMonitor, a reputable registrar
Valid and current SSL certificate
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High Traffic and Usage

Over 73 million monthly visits
Top traffic from the United States
Among top entertainment websites globally
⚠️

Review Manipulation Controversy

PR firms have paid critics for positive reviews
Score integrity has been compromised
No direct user scams or financial fraud found

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

Identity 95/100
Reputation 70/100
Technical 90/100
Content 75/100
Legal 80/100
Business Validity 90/100

Red Flags & Warnings

  • Allegations and evidence of paid reviews by PR firms violating site policies and affecting review scores.

πŸ”Ž Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain Authenticity

Score: 95/100
Passed

"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

Score: 90/100
Passed

"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

Score: 90/100
Passed

"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

Score: 85/100
Passed

"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

Score: 65/100
Failed

"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

  • 1
    Use Rotten Tomatoes as a film rating resource but be cautious about potential review manipulation affecting scores.
  • 2
    Cross-check reviews and ratings with other sources like IMDb or Metacritic for a balanced view.
  • 3
    Avoid any paid services or offers advertised on the site as direct financial scams have not been reported.
  • 4
    Report suspicious reviews or content directly to Rotten Tomatoes if encountered.
  • 5
    Stay informed about media literacy to recognize potential rating manipulations.

Evidence & Citations