IMDb v. Harris Complaint

Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 1 of 15

1 HUESTON HENNIGAN LLP

John C. Hueston, State Bar No. 164921
2 [email protected]
Moez M. Kaba, State Bar No. 257456
3 [email protected]
523 West 6th Street, Suite 400
4 Los Angeles, CA 90014
Telephone: (213) 788-4340
5 Facsimile: (888) 775-0898
6 Attorneys for Plaintiff
IMDb.com, Inc.
7
8
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
10
Case No.
11 IMDB.COM, INC., a Delaware

corporation,
12
Plaintiff,
13
14
COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY

AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
vs.
15
KAMALA HARRIS, in her official

capacity as Attorney General of the State
17 of California,
16
18
Defendant.
19
20
21
22
INTRODUCTION
1.
This suit is a facial challenge to the constitutionality of California
Assembly Bill No. 1687 (AB 1687), a misguided law that attempts to combat age
23 discrimination in casting through content-based censorship. AB 1687 amends the

24 California Civil Code to prohibit Plaintiff IMDb.com, Inc. (IMDb) from
25
publishing the truthful ages or dates of birth of public figures in the entertainment
26
industry. IMDb shares the worthy goal of preventing age discrimination. But
27
AB 1687 is an unconstitutional law that does not advance, much less achieve, that
28
goal. To the contrary, rather than passing laws designed to address the root problem
COMPLAINT
of age discrimination, the State of California has chosen to chill free speech and
undermine public access to factual information. As such, AB 1687 is clearly
unconstitutional and cannot be enforced.
2.
IMDb operates IMDb.com, the most comprehensive and authoritative
public source of information regarding the motion picture and television industries,
which is used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. IMDb is committed to
providing complete factual information related to films, television, and people
involved in the entertainment industry, including birth dates and other biographical
data. The vast majority of that factual information is not provided by IMDb itself,
10 but by IMDb.com users. IMDb routinely and gladly updates information on

11 IMDb.com in order to correct verified inaccuracies. But it has always been IMDbs
12 policy not to alter or delete any accurate factual information on the public website.
13 Being compelled to do so not only violates basic free speech principles, but
14 undermines the accuracy and reliability of the IMDb.com database on which
15 millions of users rely. In fact, California courts have recognized that the
16 information available on IMDb.com is of public interest. See, e.g., Sobini Films,
17 Inc. v. Clear Skies Nevada, LLC, 2016 WL 5793694, *6-7 (Cal. Ct. App. Oct. 4,
18 2016) (Credit for the production is surely a matter of public interest throughout the
19 film industry ).
20
3.
IMDb also operates IMDbPro, a membership-based service that
21 includes comprehensive information and tools designed to help entertainment

22 industry professionals achieve success, including detailed contact and representation
23 information, IMDb profile management tools, exclusive STARmeter rankings that
24 are determined by user searches on IMDb, a casting service to post breakdowns and
25 apply to roles, and a mobile optimized website. In response to feedback from
26 IMDbPro subscribers, since 2010, IMDb.com has provided subscribers enhanced
27 control over how their information, including ages and birthdates, are displayed.
28 To be clear, for years, IMDbPro subscribers have had the power to remove their
-2-
COMPLAINT
1 ages or birthdates from their paid profiles. And, importantly, IMDbs casting
2 service is available exclusively to IMDbPro subscribers. As a result, casting
3 directors utilize IMDbPro, rather than IMDbs public website, to access IMDbs
4 casting tools. In other words, IMDb has empowered IMDbPro subscribers to remove
5 their age information from IMDbPro if they are concerned that such information
6 might affect casting decisions.
7
4.
In September 2016, in response to aggressive lobbying by the Screen
Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-
AFTRA), the largest entertainment union, the California Legislature passed, and
10 Governor Brown signed, AB 1687. The law requires IMDb, upon request, to
11 remove the birthdates and ages of actors, directors, producers, writers, set
12 decorators, costume designers, makeup artists, sound editors, special effects
13 technicians, location managers, and many other entertainment industry
14 professionals. The law was artfully and deliberately crafted to require IMDb to
15 remove that information not only from IMDbPro (which IMDbPro subscribers have
16 had the ability to do on their own), but also from the public IMDb.com site. In fact,
17
as a result of the way the law is drafted, in order to take advantage of the law, an
18
individual must first subscribe to the IMDbPro paid service.
19
5.
The declared purpose of AB 1687 is to ensure that information
20
obtained on an Internet Web site regarding an individuals age will not be used in
21
furtherance of employment or age discrimination. But the law does not serve that
22
laudable purpose, because it does nothing to regulate how information obtained on
23
IMDb.com is used, whether in furtherance of age discrimination or otherwise. In
24
other words, AB 1687 does not prohibit the discriminatory use of information, but
25
instead forces the removal of factual information from the public domain. That
26
enforced silence is unquestionably censorship in plain violation of the
27
U.S. Constitution.
28
-3-
COMPLAINT
6.
IMDb strongly opposes discrimination in all forms, including age
discrimination in casting. But prejudice and bias, not truthful information, are the
root causes of discrimination. This law unfairly targets IMDb.com (which appears
to be the only public site impacted by the law) and forces IMDb to suppress factual
information from public view. Moreover, the factual information being suppressed
from IMDb is available from many other sources, not least including Wikipedia,
Google, Microsoft (Bing), and Apple (Siri). As such, AB 1687 sets a dangerous and
unconstitutional precedent for other general purpose websites and news sources, and
should be deeply troubling to all who care about free speech.

7.
10
AB 1687 does not merely violate the First Amendment rights of IMDb
11 and its hundreds of millions of users and contributors. The statute also violates the
12 Commerce Clause because California is attempting to police the internet far beyond
13 the states own borders. And the statute separately violates federal law because it
14 imposes liability on IMDb based on factual content that is lawfully posted by its
15 users.
16
8.
For the above reasons, and as explained in more detail below, IMDb
17 brings this action for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief, and asks the Court
18 to declare that AB 1687 is unconstitutional and that IMDb cannot be liable for
19 failing to censor factual public information as this law requires.
20
21
JURISDICTION AND VENUE

9.
The Court has jurisdiction over this action under 28 U.S.C. 1331 and
22
42 U.S.C. 1983 because IMDb alleges violations of its rights under the
23
Constitution and laws of the United States.
24
10.
The Court has authority to grant the declaratory relief requested herein
25
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2201 because the action presents an actual case or
26
controversy within the Courts jurisdiction.
27
28
11.
Venue is proper in the United States District Court for the Northern
District of California because defendant carries out her official duties in this district,
-4-
COMPLAINT
maintains offices in this district, including the Attorney Generals office of Privacy
Enforcement and Protection, and a substantial part of the events giving rise to the
claim occurred in this district. 28 U.S.C. 1391(b)(1)-(2).
4
5
6
7
PARTIES
12.
Plaintiff IMDb.com, Inc. is a Delaware corporation with its principal
place of business in Washington state.

13.
Defendant Attorney General Harris is sued in this action in her official
capacity as representative of the State of California charged with enforcement of
AB 1687, including through Californias Unfair Competition Law, CAL. BUS. &
10
PROF. CODE 17200 et seq.
11
FACTS
12
IMDbs Background
13
14.
IMDb.com had humble beginnings. Colin Needham (who remains
14
IMDbs CEO to this day), then a 23-year-old engineer, started IMDb in 1990 as a
15
bulletin board database of movie credits. In IMDbs early years, Needham and an
16
expanding group of volunteers entered information regarding thousands of films
17
they had seen. IMDb migrated to the web in 1993 with help from the computer
18
sciences department at Cardiff University. When web traffic soon overwhelmed
19
Cardiffs server capacity, Needham called upon other universities across the world
20
to host the database. By 1995, traffic to IMDb.com was doubling every few weeks,
21 and Needham and his volunteer editors were unable to keep pace.
22
15.
In January 1996, Needham launched IMDb.com as a consumer website.
23 Within two years, IMDb.com was already becoming one of the most popular
24 websites in the world, with more than 18 million visitors per month. By that time,
25 IMDb.com had grown into far more than a personal collection of movie and
26 television facts, offering a searchable database of nearly 400,000 movies and
27 entertainment programs, and approximately 1.4 million industry cast and crew
28 members.
-5-
COMPLAINT
16.
IMDb.com continued its exponential growth over the next two decades,
and its database today includes more than 185 million data items, including more
than 3 million movies, televisions shows, and entertainment programs, and more
than 6 million cast and crew members. IMDb has a combined web and mobile
audience of more than 250 million unique monthly visitors. Courts have recognized
that the information available on IMDb.com is of public interest. See, e.g., Sobini
Films, Inc. v. Clear Skies Nevada, LLC, 2016 WL 5793694, *6-7 (Cal. Ct. App. Oct.
4, 2016) (Credit for the production is surely a matter of public interest throughout
the film industry ).
10
17.
Similar to Wikipedia, IMDb users are able to edit pages for titles and
11 individuals in order to keep information on IMDb.com accurate. For example,

12 a user is able to add a credit for an actor, add iconic quotes from a title, or edit an
13
14
actors personal information, including age or date of birth.

18.
Community-sourced information is not infallible. For that reason,
15
IMDb.com maintains a Database Content Team that manually monitors third
16
party contributions for accuracy, and has also developed software to ensure that all
17
of the information on IMDb is as accurate as possible.
18
19.
In 2002, IMDb launched a separate subscription service, known as
19
IMDbPro. Instead of being a public-facing site like IMDb.com, IMDbPro is
20
designed for motion picture and television professionals. Subscribers to IMDbPro
21
gain access to information that is not available on IMDb.com, including
22
representation and employer contact details for industry professionals, as well as the
23
ability to make their resumes, photographs, demo reels, and other information
24
available to casting agents and other industry decision makers. That membership-
25
based service has become an essential resource for entertainment industry
26
professionals.
27
20.
In 2010, in response to feedback from IMDbPro subscribers, IMDb
28 launched a feature providing IMDbPro subscribers enhanced control over how their
-6-
COMPLAINT
1 information, including ages and birthdates, are displayed. Thus, for many years,
2 IMDbPro subscribers have had the power unilaterally to remove their ages or
3 birthdates from their paid profiles. IMDbs casting service is available exclusively
4 to IMDbPro subscribers. Casting directors use IMDbPro, rather than IMDbs public
5 website, to access IMDbs casting tools. In other words, IMDb has already taken
6 steps to address the concerns that AB 1687 purports to address, by empowering
7 actors to remove age information if they are concerned that such information might
8 affect casting decisions.
9
The Passage of AB 1687

21.
10
On September 24, 2016, citing the risk of age discrimination in the
11
entertainment industry, Governor Brown approved AB 1687.1 The law would
12
prevent a commercial online entertainment employment service provider that
13
enters into a contractual agreement to provide employment services to an
14
individual from publishing the subscribers date of birth or age on an online profile
15
or share such information with any website, upon request of the subscriber. In
16
addition, the law would require such an online entertainment employment service
17
provider, upon request, to remove any age information, including information
18
provided or posted by third-party users, from its website or any companion Internet
19
Web sites under its control. That is a thinly veiled reference to IMDbPros
20
companion website IMDb.com. Notably, AB 1687 contains no territorial
21
limitations at all. It purports to impose financial penalties on IMDb, a Delaware
22 corporation with its offices in Seattle, if it refuses to censor itself when, for example,
23 a California actor requests the removal of his age from IMDb.com after it is added
24 by an IMDb.com user in Germany.
22.
25
SAG-AFTRA, the largest union in entertainment, sponsored AB 1687,
26 conducting a determined campaign to secure its passage. As the law only applies to
27
28
AB 1687 will be codified as CAL. CIV. CODE 1798.83.5.
-7-
COMPLAINT
commercial online entertainment employment service provider[s], there can be no
doubt that California seeks to offer a special protection to SAG-AFTRA at the
expense of the First Amendment.

23.
Despite AB 1687s seemingly generalized language (applying to
commercial online entertainment employment service provider[s]), IMDb.com is
the primary, if not singular, target of the bill. Beyond IMDb being the preeminent
provider of such services, the Senate Rules Committee isolated and identified
IMDb.com as the target of the bill.2 In addition, the President of SAG-AFTRA
specifically cited IMDb.coms date-of-birth information when urging Governor
10
Brown to approve the law.3

24.
11
Thus, despite an avowed goal to address age discrimination in casting,
12
AB 1687 applies to only one of the many public sources of an actors age. The law
13
fictionally presumes that a casting director who hypothetically plans to discriminate
14
on the basis of age will no longer do so if IMDb.com does not post birthdates,
15
despite the fact that this information is readily available through many other sources
16
(including Wikipedia, Google, Bing, and Siri).

25.
17
AB 1687s unconstitutionally over-inclusive language also sweeps
18
within its ambit countless subscribers who do not face age discrimination. Despite
19
the fact that SAG-AFTRA, representing on-screen talent, has cast this statute as a
20
boon to actors, its censorship would apply equally to writers, producers, makeup
21
artists, costume designers, or even the director of a video game. It would also apply
22
to A-list celebrities whose ages are already well-known.
23
24
25
26
27
California Senate Judiciary Committee June 27, 2016 Hearing, available at

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1687.
3
The Hollywood Reporter, Actors Need a Law to Keep Ages Off IMDb, available at
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sag-aftras-gabrielle-carteris-actors-922253.
28
-8-
COMPLAINT
The Substantial Threat To IMDb.com

26.
AB 1687 was passed against a backdrop of the Attorney Generals
stated focus on privacy violations. In 2012, the Attorney General created the
Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit, whose stated goal was protecting
consumer and individual privacy through civil prosecution of state and federal
privacy laws.4 The Attorney General has stated that enforcing state privacy laws,
such as AB 1687, is one of her offices top priorities. IMDb reasonably believes
the Attorney General will seek both monetary penalties and injunctive relief
requiring IMDb to censor itself by filing an action for violations of Californias
10
Unfair Competition Law, CAL. BUS. & PROF. CODE 17200 et seq.5 IMDb will
11
then be faced with the choice of removing accurate information of public interest
12
from the marketplace of ideas or suffering financial and other penalties for refusing
13
to censor itself.
14
FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF
15
42 U.S.C. 1983
(First Amendment - Content-Based Regulation of Speech)
16
17
18
27.
this Complaint as though each were set forth herein in full.
19
20
28.
This action presents an actual case or controversy between IMDb and
defendant concerning the validity and enforceability of AB 1687.
21
22
IMDb realleges and incorporates by reference all prior paragraphs of
29.
IMDb reasonably believes defendant will attempt to enforce AB 1687
against IMDb and seek injunctive relief and civil penalties.
23
24
State of California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, Attorney General
Kamala D. Harris Announces Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit, available at
25 https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-kamala-d-harris-announces-privacyenforcement-and-protection.
26
Californias Unfair Competition Law empowers the Attorney General to bring a suit for
27 injunctive relief and civil penalties. CAL. BUS. & PROF. CODE 17204; 17206. Violations of
other laws, including AB 1687, are a per se violation of the Unfair Competition Law. See Yanting
28 Zhang v. Superior Court, 304 P.3d 163, 167 (Cal. 2013).

-9-
COMPLAINT
30.
AB 1687 is a content-based restriction on speech that is not narrowly
drawn to serve a compelling government interest. Instead of targeting IMDb.com
for hosting truthful information, California could instead seek to enforce (or bolster)
already existing anti-discrimination laws against those in the entertainment industry
who discriminate, or could take other steps to more effectively penalize those who
are engaged in discrimination. California has not shown, and cannot show, that
these less speech-restrictive alternatives would be an inadequate means of achieving
its policy goals.
31.
AB 1687 is over-inclusive because it broadly prohibits speech in a way
10
that will have no effect on age discrimination. AB 1687 allows entertainment
11
professionals of all kinds, not merely actors and actresses, to prevent IMDb.com
12
from displaying their ages, even though they are not the types of on-screen actors
13
who are facing the discrimination that purportedly prompted the law.
14
32.
While over-inclusive in some respects, AB 1687 is also under-inclusive,
15 because it prohibits only a narrow category of speech by an even narrower category

16 of speakers, while ignoring the myriad other sources of the same information. For
17 many of the actors who have already requested removal of their ages from IMDb,
18 such information is also available on frequently visited sites like Wikipedia, other
19 entertainment-related sites, through a simple Google search, or even on a plethora of
20 sites specializing in celebrity birthdays such as www.famousbirthdays.com. AB
21 1687 applies to none of these other websites, or to other news sources like
22 newspapers that also print such information.
23
33.
The laws over-inclusiveness and under-inclusiveness demonstrate that
24 it is not narrowly tailored to achieve Californias stated interest in passing the law.
25
34.
To the extent that it regulates commercial speech, AB 1687 does not
26 directly advance a substantial government interest and is not drawn to achieve that
27 interest. The speech AB 1687 regulates concerns lawful activity, is truthful, and is
28 not misleading.
- 10 -
COMPLAINT
1
2
35.
Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1983 and the Courts equitable powers, IMDb
seeks injunctive relief against the State to prevent enforcement of AB 1687.
SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF
42 U.S.C. 1983
(First Amendment - Vagueness)
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
36. IMDb realleges and incorporates by reference all prior paragraphs of

37. This action presents an actual case or controversy between IMDb and
38. IMDb reasonably believes defendant will attempt to enforce AB 1687
39. AB 1687 is unconstitutionally vague because it penalizes the publishing
13
of age information without defining that term. The statute thus impermissibly
14
chills speech because it is unclear whether age information would include, for
15
example, describing an IMDb subscriber as being in his or her 40s or describing a
16
different subscriber as a Millennial because it suggests the subscriber was born in
17 the 1980s or 1990s.

18
40. Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1983 and the Courts equitable powers, IMDb
19 seeks injunctive relief against the State to prevent enforcement of AB 1687.

20
THIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF
21
42 U.S.C. 1983
(First Amendment Strict Liability)
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
41. IMDb realleges and incorporates by reference all prior paragraphs of

42. This action presents an actual case or controversy between IMDb and
43. IMDb reasonably believes defendant will attempt to enforce AB 1687
- 11 -
COMPLAINT
44. The imposition of civil penalties under AB 1687 violates the First
Amendment because it purports to impose strict liability on IMDb for hosting age-
related information on IMDb.com after an IMDbPro subscriber has requested the
removal of age-related information.
45. IMDb.com users are able to post on message boards visible on actors
profiles. Every day, users post thousands of messages on IMDb.coms message
boards. Upon information and belief, users have posted, and will continue to post,
messages relating to actors ages or dates of birth. IMDb does not, and cannot,
enforce a policy of prior restraint on its users messages.
10
46. AB 1687 does not appear to require subsequent take-down requests
11 before liability attaches. Nor does AB 1687 require that IMDb have any knowledge
12 that age-related information was posted by an IMDb.com user before liability
13
attaches. Thus, the law would impose strict civil liability on IMDb, even though
14
IMDb has no knowledge of the content unless and until it is later informed.
15
16
47. Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1983 and the Courts equitable powers, IMDb
17
FOURTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
18
42 U.S.C. 1983
(Commerce Clause)
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
48.

49.

50.

51.
The Commerce Clause prohibits states from passing laws that have the
27
practical effect of regulating commerce occurring wholly outside that states
28
borders.
- 12 -
COMPLAINT
52.
AB 1687 contains no territorial provisions that would limit its impact to
conduct in and related to California. Instead, the law seeks to regulate the internet
as a whole. AB 1687 would permit the imposition of penalties for conduct whose
only nexus to California is that IMDb.com is accessible in that state. The
Constitution does not permit such attacks on the free flow of commerce.
6
7
53.
FIFTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
42 U.S.C. 1983
(Communications Decency Act (47 U.S.C. 230))
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
54.

55.

56.

57.
IMDb.com is an interactive computer service for purposes of the
18
Communications Decency Act because it operates an interactive online platform
19
which provides information to multiple users by giving them computer access to a
20
computer server. 47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2).
21
22
23
58.
Third-party users are responsible for the submission of content on
IMDb.com, including information related to age or date of birth.

59.
AB 1687 violates IMDbs rights under the Communications Decency
24
Act, 47 U.S.C. 230(c)(1), which states that no provider or user of an interactive
25
computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information
26
provided by another information content provider, because enforcement of
27
AB 1687 against IMDb will improperly penalize IMDb as the publisher or speaker
28
- 13 -
COMPLAINT
of information that is provided by another information content provider (i.e., an
IMDb.com user).
60.
AB 1687 is thus a State law that is inconsistent with 230, in
direct violation of 47 U.S.C. 230(e)(3). AB 1687 thus also interferes with or
impedes the accomplishment of the full purposes and objectives of federal law,
violates the Supremacy Clause, U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. 2, and is invalid and
preempted.
8
9
61.
10
11
12
13
14
15
SIXTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF

62.

63.

64.
Because AB 1687 violates the First Amendment, the Commerce Clause,
16
and the CDA, 47 U.S.C 230, IMDb seeks and is entitled to a declaration pursuant
17
to 28 U.S.C. 2201 that AB 1687 is invalid and unenforceable.
18
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
19
Wherefore IMDb prays this Court:
20
A.
21
unenforceable;
22
B.
23
Enter declaratory judgment that AB 1687 is unconstitutional and

Enter a permanent injunction against its enforcement by the State and its
respective officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys, and those persons in
24 concert or participation with them, enjoining them from taking any actions to
25 enforce AB 1687 against IMDb;
26
C.
Award IMDb its reasonable costs and attorneys fees pursuant to
27 42 U.S.C. 1988; and

28
- 14 -
COMPLAINT
D.
Any such other and further relief as is just and proper under the
circumstances.
3
4
DATED: November 10, 2016
Respectfully submitted,
HUESTON HENNIGAN LLP
7
8
9
10
By:
John C. Hueston
Moez M. Kaba
Attorneys for Plaintiff IMDb.com, Inc.
11
12
13
14
15
16
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- 15 -
COMPLAINT

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Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 1 of 15

1 HUESTON HENNIGAN LLP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

11 IMDB.COM, INC., a Delaware

COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY

KAMALA HARRIS, in her official

This suit is a facial challenge to the constitutionality of California

23 discrimination in casting through content-based censorship. AB 1687 amends the

Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 2 of 15

undermine public access to factual information. As such, AB 1687 is clearly

unconstitutional and cannot be enforced.

IMDb operates IMDb.com, the most comprehensive and authoritative

which is used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. IMDb is committed to

providing complete factual information related to films, television, and people

10 but by IMDb.com users. IMDb routinely and gladly updates information on

IMDb also operates IMDbPro, a membership-based service that

21 includes comprehensive information and tools designed to help entertainment

Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 3 of 15

In September 2016, in response to aggressive lobbying by the Screen

Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-

individual must first subscribe to the IMDbPro paid service.

The declared purpose of AB 1687 is to ensure that information

laudable purpose, because it does nothing to regulate how information obtained on

IMDb.com is used, whether in furtherance of age discrimination or otherwise. In

enforced silence is unquestionably censorship in plain violation of the

Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 4 of 15

IMDb strongly opposes discrimination in all forms, including age

should be deeply troubling to all who care about free speech.

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

Constitution and laws of the United States.

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2201 because the action presents an actual case or

controversy within the Courts jurisdiction.

Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 5 of 15

claim occurred in this district. 28 U.S.C. 1391(b)(1)-(2).

Plaintiff IMDb.com, Inc. is a Delaware corporation with its principal

place of business in Washington state.

Defendant Attorney General Harris is sued in this action in her official

capacity as representative of the State of California charged with enforcement of

PROF. CODE 17200 et seq.

IMDb.com had humble beginnings. Colin Needham (who remains

expanding group of volunteers entered information regarding thousands of films

sciences department at Cardiff University. When web traffic soon overwhelmed

In January 1996, Needham launched IMDb.com as a consumer website.

Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 6 of 15

the film industry ).

11 individuals in order to keep information on IMDb.com accurate. For example,

actors personal information, including age or date of birth.

Community-sourced information is not infallible. For that reason,

IMDb.com maintains a Database Content Team that manually monitors third

of the information on IMDb is as accurate as possible.

In 2002, IMDb launched a separate subscription service, known as

IMDbPro. Instead of being a public-facing site like IMDb.com, IMDbPro is

designed for motion picture and television professionals. Subscribers to IMDbPro

gain access to information that is not available on IMDb.com, including

based service has become an essential resource for entertainment industry

In 2010, in response to feedback from IMDbPro subscribers, IMDb

Case 3:16-cv-06535-LB Document 1 Filed 11/10/16 Page 7 of 15

The Passage of AB 1687