Frequently Asked Questions

Be sure to check our our Quick Start Guide for more info.

Registration and Personal Account

1. Is registration to Hey! Nielsen free?
   Yes. Viewing and using Hey! Nielsen is absolutely free and open to everyone over the age of 14. Consult our Terms Of Use and/or Privacy Policy for more information.
   
   
2. What are the some of benefits of joining Hey! Nielsen?
   Hey! Nielsen encourages its users to make an impact on the entertainment they enjoy. Those who register and post opinions and comments frequently gain status on Hey! Nielsen that may lead to an invitation to exclusive sneak previews, research panels, or exclusive rewards from Nielsen or our partners.
   
   
3. What does Nielsen do with my personal information?
   Nielsen appreciates your use of the site and in turn respects your privacy. Please consult the section in our Privacy Policy concerning Personally Identifying Information (PII) and other specifics regarding your information.
   
   
4. Can other users see my personal information?
   Upon registration, you will be able to show or hide any of your personal information such as age, location, etc. You can remain as anonymous as you want... just don't keep your opinions to yourself!
   
   
5. I've lost or forgotten my password and/or username. How do I get it back?
   Go to the Forgot Password page, enter the email address you registered with and you will receive an email with your login info.
   
   
6. How do I form "Connections" to other users?
   If you are on a specific member's profile page, click on the "Make me a Recommender" button to submit a request. If the other member accepts your request, that member will show up on your list of Recommenders.
   
   
7. How do I update my account information?
   Click on the "edit profile" link next to your member name at the top of the page and you can edit your profile.
   
   
8. How do I delete my account?
   Send an email to hey@nielsen.com requesting the deletion of your account. Your request must come from the same email address linked to your account.
   
   
9. How do I upgrade my member level?
   Currently, Hey! Nielsen starts each new user off with an entry-level membership level which can progress as the member makes use of the site over time. Since Hey! Nielsen is in its early stages, we will be gradually upgrading active members shortly to higher levels, as well as rewarding select members with specific "badges" to reward their status and/or expertise, such as "Music Blogger," "Sci-Fi Expert," etc.
   
   Progression through the levels is based on a number of criteria and benchmarks, including, but not limited to:
   
   

   • Total number of posts
   • Variety of posts (i.e. posting about multiple topics in multiple categories)
   • Number of friends invited and joined to Hey! Nielsen
   • Number of "Recommenders"
   • Topics rated
   • Completeness of profile (adding a photo, megaphones, additional demographic info, etc.)

   For example, inviting up to 50 friends to Hey! Nielsen would qualify you to be at the highest level, assuming you've met other levels regarding creating opinions across multiple categories and on multiple topics. This method encourages members to post a variety of topics and opinions. For example, a person who simply creates 100 opinions on one or two topics might not move up the ladder as much as someone who creates 75 opinions spread across 25 different topics.
   
   

Posting Opinions, Reactions, and Comments

1. How do I post an opinion?
   Use our suggestions as a guideline for creating quality opinions, but, feel free to express yourself as you see fit... providing, of course, that you adhere to the Terms of Service of the site as they relate to obscenity, copyright issues, and all the rest. The better your opinion, the more valuable feedback, and the easier it is for others to respond and debate it on the site.
   
   Rating
   
   You can't complete your opinion without letting us know how you feel about the topic. Drag your mouse across the slider to indicate your sentiment from Extreme Dislike to Intense Like.
   
   The Headline
   
   The headline will be the most visible thing about your post. We suggest you keep it short, sweet, and specific. You might want to aim higher than just typing "It Rocks!" and then hitting submit... But hey, it's your opinion.
   
   Additional Comments
   
   The body of your opinion gives you the chance to fully explain the reason for your post and to let your genius shine. Remember, other users will be able to agree or disagree with your opinion. Be convincing!
   
   Your Video Opinion
   
   Don't feel like typing additional comments or maybe you want to add something a little more personal? You can add a link to a video you've recorded and posted to YouTube. It's easier than you think, but you'll need a YouTube account to get started. Learn how. You can also link to video clips on YouTube that may relate to your opinion. Familiarize yourself again with the Terms of Service for our site, and YouTube's Code of Conduct and policies if you have any questions.
   
   Sample
   Here's a generic example of an opinion (about a fake TV show).
   
   About "The Wacky Neighbor Sitcom Show"
   Headline: "I wish they'd bring back Molly to the cast!"
   Body: Every show she was in was really funny, especially the one where they went snowboarding and she wound up being chased by bears. I was in tears.
   
   
2. How do I create and post a video opinion?
   If you have a YouTube.com account, you can include your video opinion on Hey! Nielsen by entering your video opinion's YouTube url in the "video url" field when creating an opinion.
   
   
3. How can I add my Hey! Nielsen posts to my other websites?
   Coming soon, we'll have tools for you to incorporate Hey! Nielsen into your other web sites and personal pages. For now, you can link those sites from your member page, by updating the My Megaphones feature.

General Questions

1. What is the Hey! Nielsen score?
   The Hey! Nielsen score is a real-time indicator of a topic's impact and value and you play a major role. As the site evolves and users submit their opinions and commentary, the score will rise or fall based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, user opinions, news coverage, and raw data from our sister sites Billboard.com, HollywoodReporter.com, and BlogPulse.com.
   
   
2. Why is there no advertising on the site?
   The site is funded by Nielsen's main business, which is research. Your opinions and use of the site are an expansion of that core business. We also wouldn't want any advertising to get in the way of your experience on the site or influence your opinions.
   
   
3. Can I get email or mobile updates from Hey! Nielsen?
   You can receive updates via email on site news and new features by updating the settings on your profile. Make sure you allow emails from heynielsen.com to come to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time. Updates via mobile devices are coming soon!
   
   
4. I have a TV, Movie idea, etc., can I email it to Hey! Nielsen?
   While Nielsen has close contacts with all the major networks, studios, record labels, etc., we are unable to accept unsolicited manuscripts, etc.
   
   
5. How do I report a problem, a bug, or abuse on the site?
   If you experience a technical error or want to report a user who is in breach of the Terms And Conditions of the site, please use our feedback page. Your detailed concerns and recommendations are critically important in the early stages of our site.
   
   
6. Is this the same company that does the Nielsen TV ratings?
   Yes. Among the Nielsen Company's many products and services is the well-know Nielsen TV ratings. Learn more about the Nielsen Company at www.nielsen.com.
   
   
7. Can I become a Nielsen TV family?
   While we'd like to accept volunteers into our in-home panels, we are unable to do so. To include volunteers would violate basic laws of random sampling practice and skew our results. A truly representative sample of the population can only be generated using statistical methods of selection. We have received thousands of requests over the years, and in part, that's one of the reasons the Nielsen Company is has created Hey! Nielsen.
   
   
8. Can I work at Nielsen?
   You can learn more about The Nielsen Company and worldwide job openings by visiting http://www.nielsen.com/about/careers.html
   
   
9. How are Nielsen employees involved in the site?
   During early beta testing, some brave, pioneering Nielsen employees were among the main contributors to the site for testing purposes only. They, along with other select invites, provided us with invaluable feedback and advice. However, after a brief period following the public launch, in order to maintain Nielsen's high standard of objectivity, Nielsen employees will not be permitted to use the site other than those who work on its upkeep, moderation, and administration.
   
   
10. Won't the makers of these TV shows, movies, or whatever try to mess with the scores by rating their stuff high, or posting 1000 opinions on something?
    First, we respectfully ask that professionals involved in the media business refrain from using or influencing the site in matters where they have a vested interest. We would like the site to represent the general public's opinions on those topics. Secondly, the site will be monitored closely by Nielsen for any abuses. Hey! Nielsen members are also encouraged to use the "Report This" feature on any opinion to call out any such abuse. A single user can only rate an object once, so multiple ratings will not impact the site. In addition, our Terms of Service specifically prohibit anything along the lines of ballot-box stuffing, or other disruptions that go against the community spirit of the site. Plus our lawyer will be really really mad at them. See section 4, Prohibited Conduct.
    
    

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