What Does Review Bombing Mean?
The term review bombing refers to the act of leaving numerous negative reviews about a movie or show with the intention of lowering its overall rating. This tactic is commonly employed by individuals or groups who disagree with certain aspects of the content, often for political or religious reasons. Review bombing typically involves multiple users or accounts, although it can also be carried out by a small number of users with multiple accounts. The practice of review bombing gained prominence in the 2000s with the emergence of review aggregator sites like IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic. Even if a movie or show is generally well-received, it can still become a target for review bombing if it goes against the beliefs or preferences of certain individuals or communities. For instance, conservative fans of a TV show may engage in review bombing on Rotten Tomatoes if they believe that it has become excessively politically correct or “woke.” This can result in a low audience score that contradicts the positive reviews from critics. Review bombing is not limited to movies and shows; it can also be directed at other things such as apps, businesses, items for sale, and even food. Here are some examples of how the term review bombing can be used in conversation:
- “I can’t believe so many people are review bombing the new season of that show. They must really dislike the direction it’s going in.”
- “I expected some negative reviews, but this level of review bombing is just ridiculous.”
- “The movie received a lot of positive reviews from critics, but it’s currently being review bombed by a certain group of fans.”
- “The game developer was accused of unethical practices, and as a result, their game was review bombed on multiple platforms.”
- “The restaurant recently changed its menu, and some customers didn’t like the new options. They started review bombing the restaurant on Yelp.”
It’s important to note that review bombing is often regarded as a negative and unfair practice. While there may be instances where it is justified, such as in cases of unethical behavior or false advertising, it is generally considered a form of online harassment and can have a detrimental impact on the reputation of the targeted content.
What Does Review Bombing Mean From a Girl?
When a girl uses the term review bombing, it typically means the same thing as when a guy uses it. Review bombing refers to the act of leaving numerous negative reviews about a movie, show, app, business, or any other product or service with the intention of lowering its overall rating. Girls may use this term in conversations with their friends or online communities to discuss instances of review bombing that they have come across.
Girls may use review bombing similarly to guys, but there could be some differences in how they approach the topic or their perspective on it. Here are a few possible ways that girls may use review bombing:
- Sharing their opinions: Girls may use review bombing to express their own opinions about a particular movie, show, or product that has been targeted by review bombers. They may discuss why they agree or disagree with the negative reviews and provide their own insights.
- Discussing the impact: Girls may talk about the impact of review bombing on the reputation of the targeted content. They may discuss how review bombing can unfairly affect the success or perception of a movie, show, or business.
- Calling out unfair practices: Girls may use review bombing as a way to call out unethical practices or false advertising by certain companies or individuals. They may discuss instances where review bombing was justified and necessary to bring attention to these issues.
If someone uses review bombing in a conversation with you, it’s important to listen to their perspective and engage in a respectful discussion. You can ask them why they feel strongly about the topic and share your own thoughts if you have any. Remember to keep the conversation light-hearted and avoid personal attacks or harassment.
And if you’re ever tempted to engage in review bombing yourself, remember that it’s generally considered a negative and unfair practice. Instead, consider providing constructive feedback or discussing your concerns in a more respectful manner.
Example 1:
- Girl A: Have you seen the new movie that everyone’s talking about?
- Girl B: Yeah, I watched it last night. It was actually really good!
- Girl A: Oh, that’s great to hear! I heard there was some review bombing going on, but I don’t always trust those negative reviews.
Example 2:
- Girl A: Did you see the new app that just launched?
- Girl B: Yeah, I downloaded it and tried it out. It’s actually pretty useful!
- Girl A: That’s awesome! I saw some people review bombing it, but I think they’re just being unfair.
Example 3:
- Girl A: Have you heard about that new restaurant in town?
- Girl B: Yeah, I went there last week and had a great experience!
- Girl A: That’s good to know! I saw some review bombing happening, but I think it’s just people trying to bring them down for no reason.
Example 4:
- Girl A: Did you watch the latest episode of that TV show?
- Girl B: Yeah, I loved it! The storyline is getting really interesting.
- Girl A: Same here! I saw some review bombing happening online, but I don’t think it’s justified. The show is actually really good.
Example 5:
- Girl A: Have you read that new book that everyone’s talking about?
- Girl B: Yeah, I finished it last week. It was amazing!
- Girl A: That’s awesome! I heard there was some review bombing going on, but I don’t think it’s fair. The book deserves all the praise it’s getting.
What Does Review Bombing Mean From a Guy?
When a guy uses the term review bombing, it generally means the same thing as when a girl uses it. Review bombing refers to the act of leaving numerous negative reviews about a movie, show, app, business, or any other product or service with the intention of lowering its overall rating. Guys may use this term in conversations with their friends or online communities to discuss instances of review bombing that they have come across.
Guys may use review bombing similarly to girls, but there could be some differences in how they approach the topic or their perspective on it. Here are a few possible ways that guys may use review bombing:
- Sharing their opinions: Guys may use review bombing to express their own opinions about a particular movie, show, or product that has been targeted by review bombers. They may discuss why they agree or disagree with the negative reviews and provide their own insights.
- Discussing the impact: Guys may talk about the impact of review bombing on the reputation of the targeted content. They may discuss how review bombing can unfairly affect the success or perception of a movie, show, or business.
- Calling out unfair practices: Guys may use review bombing as a way to call out unethical practices or false advertising by certain companies or individuals. They may discuss instances where review bombing was justified and necessary to bring attention to these issues.
If someone uses review bombing in a conversation with you, it’s important to listen to their perspective and engage in a respectful discussion. You can ask them why they feel strongly about the topic and share your own thoughts if you have any. Remember to keep the conversation light-hearted and avoid personal attacks or harassment.
And if you’re ever tempted to engage in review bombing yourself, remember that it’s generally considered a negative and unfair practice. Instead, consider providing constructive feedback or discussing your concerns in a more respectful manner.
Example 1:
- Guy 1: Have you seen the new superhero movie? I heard it got review bombed.
- Guy 2: Yeah, some people didn’t like the casting choices and decided to leave a bunch of negative reviews. It’s a shame because I thought the movie was pretty good.
Example 2:
- Guy 1: Did you hear about that new restaurant in town? It got review bombed on Yelp.
- Guy 2: Really? What happened?
- Guy 1: Some customers didn’t like the service and left a bunch of one-star reviews. It’s unfortunate because I had a great experience there.
Example 3:
- Guy 1: I was thinking of downloading this new app, but then I saw it had a lot of negative reviews.
- Guy 2: Yeah, it looks like it got review bombed by some users who had technical issues. I guess I’ll pass on downloading it too.
Example 4:
- Guy 1: Have you played the latest video game that came out?
- Guy 2: Yeah, but it got review bombed on Steam because of some bugs in the game. The developers are working on fixing them though.
Example 5:
- Guy: Did you see the new clothing line from that designer?
- Girl: Yeah, I saw it online, but it got review bombed on social media because people didn’t like the prices.
- Guy: That’s too bad. I thought the designs were really unique.
Origin of Review Bombing
The term “review bombing” originated in the 2000s with the rise of review aggregator sites like IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic. It refers to the act of leaving numerous negative reviews about a movie or show in order to lower its overall rating. The practice is typically carried out by individuals or groups who disagree with certain aspects of the content, often for political or religious reasons. Review bombing can involve multiple users or accounts, or it can be done by a small number of users with multiple accounts.
The term itself is derived from the idea of “bombing” a target with negative reviews, similar to bombing a physical target with explosives. It is unclear if the term originated as a popular typo or misspelling of another word, as in the case of “HODL” in the cryptocurrency community. However, given the straightforward nature of the term and its connection to the act of bombarding something with negative reviews, it is unlikely that it is a derived word.
Overall, while the exact origin of the term “review bombing” is unclear, it is commonly used and understood in the context of online review platforms and the practice of leaving negative reviews en masse to artificially lower a rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Slangs similar to Review Bombing
Negative reviews, online harassment, unfair practice, low audience score, and detrimental impact are all similar to review bombing because they involve leaving negative reviews with the intention of lowering ratings, which can have a negative and unfair impact on the reputation of the targeted content.
Is Review Bombing A Bad Word?
No, “review bombing” is not a bad word or vulgar word. It is a term used to describe the act of giving someone or something a bunch of overly negative reviews using a multitude of alternate accounts in order to artificially decrease their rating out of spite. While it is generally considered a negative and harmful practice, there may be rare occasions where it is justified.
Is Review Bombing a Typo or Misspelling?
No, “review bombing” is not a misspelling or typo. It is a term used to describe the act of leaving numerous negative reviews about a movie or show with the intention of lowering its overall rating.
