Teen Choice Awards 2015 Rigged? Fans Question If Rules Have Changed Since 2014 Disclaimer Controversy
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The lure of the Teen Choice Awards is pretty simple. Unlike the Oscars, the Grammys, and other awards determined by professional critics or mysterious academies and guilds, Fox's Teen Choice Awards let the people decide -- well, the young people. However, what if the votes do not matter? What is the point of the Teen Choice Awards if the teens are not doing the choosing? That is what a lot fans are asking ahead of Sunday's big event after the controversy that surrounded the 2014 Teen Choice Awards.
Remember the #TeensDontHaveAChoiceAwards controversy? It all started last year during the 2014 show when Cameron Dallas took home the Choice Viner award and then tweeted that he was notified of his win days before the public voting even closed.
That's honestly annoying. We voted our asses off and it didn't even count. #TeensDontHaveAChoiceAwards pic.twitter.com/RHTHNseeBc
— Chlo (@IdfcNick) August 11, 2014
Then, a televised disclaimer at the end of the broadcast revealed that the show's producers reserved the right to hand pick the winner at their discretion.
“Winners for the Teen Choice Awards were determined through voting on the TeenChoiceAwards.com website,” read the disclaimer. “The results of the voting were tabulated electronically by TeenChoiceAwards.com and confirmed by a committee of Fox representatives. Winners are determined based on the nominees in each category with the highest number of eligible votes. [Production company] Teenasaurus Rox Inc. had the right to determine the winners from the top four vote-getters of the nominees in each of 88 categories. Ultimate choice was determined solely by the producers.”
Good to know our votes counted. #TeenChoiceAwards #TEENCHOICE #thanksalot #TCAs2014 pic.twitter.com/cQnfw30JtH
— Taylor (@tayyy_bailsss) August 11, 2014
Viewers on social media were quick to criticize the show for the sneaky policy and help expose more evidence of the award show's lack of transparency.
the perfume picture was days before the voting closed,yet they're dressed the exactsame #teensdonthaveachoiceawards pic.twitter.com/dkEXzyOHJd
— One Direction ♕ (@1DirectionFabs) August 11, 2014
Now fans are worried that 2015 will be the same story, with many claiming they have abstained from voting due to a lack of confidence that their votes really count towards determining the winners.
is it bad that I haven't even voted once for the teen choice awards stuff?? I just don't see a point since it's all rigged
— katie✨ (@coolkatcameron) August 11, 2015
The teen choice awards is rigged so tell me why the hell would cam be wanting us to vote if the votes don't even count
— melissa (@griersglacier) August 11, 2015
Are the Teen Choice Awards still rigged or did they fix that? @camerondallas
— jenn the flop (@squirtingcam) August 5, 2015
Has Fox been listening to its concerned viewers? The official voting rules for the 2015 Teen Choice Awards appear to guarantee that fans will have final say in choosing this year's winners -- in 2014, the official rules matched the policy stated in the post-show disclaimer.
"Winners of Teen Choice 2015 are determined using the votes cast on the site, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram," read the 2015 rules on TeenChoiceAwards.com. "Votes are tabulated electronically and winners are determined based on the nominees in each category with the highest number of eligible votes."
However, the chance of another post-show disclaimer still remains.
Are the Teen Choice Awards rigged? Hopefully not anymore, but fans should pay close attention to the fine print after the show, just to be sure.
The 2015 Teen Choice Awards premieres live on Fox Sunday at 8 p.m. EDT.
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