Some of the most popular Facebook applications are using highly questionable tactics to spread themselves virally. Users have noticed and complained, and Facebook took action today to put stop the most egregious behavior.
There are two ways application developers are breaking the rules to get new users. The first: When a user looks at an application on his/her profile the application can show something different than when other users view the profile. So a user adds an application that looks nice to them. But everyone else sees, say, a big yellow box with an advertisement that says the user wants you to add this application, too.
The second and more devious scheme is being used by many of the largest application developers. They all involve some sort of notification fraud. Generally, you add an application. Then, every one of your contacts is notified that you’ve “written on their wall” or “have asked them a question,” even though you never did. To view the content the contact must add the application. They then find out there is no wall comment, or its a canned question like “is it ok to kiss on the first date?”
Super Wall (RockYou, 4.5 m installs), My Questions (Slide, 6.9 m installs) and FunWall (Slide, 3.6 m installs) all do this (and users complain loudly in the comments area to the apps – see here and scroll down).
Facebook Hits Back
Facebook took measures today to stop these kinds of activities. The first is dealt with in the new release (1.1) of FBML, the markup language used to build Facebook applications. Developers will no longer be able to show a different profile to friends than the one the user sees him/herself:
One of the key parts of the success of the design of the Facebook profile is that the user is always aware of exactly what their profile looks like to their friends who stop by to view their profile. This enables users to understand exactly how they are expressing themselves to others by simply deciding whether or not they like an application’s profile box and the content that the developer has decided to put into the box.
Right now, we have made a few FBML tags available that are causing users to not trust the content in the profile box. Tags such as: fb:if-user-has-added-app, and other fb-if tags. These tags are currently being used to deliver content to profile boxes which users are unaware of. Content such as big yellow boxes which say “ADD THIS APPLICATION!” or “ADD SOME OTHER APPLICATION!”.
Starting today, these tags will no longer be available for use in profile boxes. We will be migrating FBML to version 1.1, and adding a new set of tags called fb:visible-to-. They are:
fb:visible-to-owner
fb:visible-to-friends
fb:visiible-to-user
fb:visible-to-added-app-users
fb:visible-to-app-users
Facebook also notified developers today that they will be blocked from sending misleading notifications to users. This will stop Slide, RockYou and others from mass spamming users with false notifications:
Over the last few weeks we have noticed several developers misleading our users into clicking on links, adding applications and taking actions. While the majority of developers are doing the right thing and playing by the rules, a few aren’t – and are creating spam as a result. Going forward, if you are deceptively notifying users or tricking them into taking actions that they wouldn’t have otherwise taken, we will start blocking these notifications. The bottom line is that if the notifications you send are the result of a genuine action by a Facebook user and that action is truthfully reported to the recipient so they can make an informed decision, you should have no problems. If you do find some notifications blocked, it was probably because this wasn’t the case and we will be happy to inform you of some best practices by other developers that have prevented this issue.
Facebook has done a great job in managing their platform since opening it up to developers of applications. They have had to accommodate application developers while at the same time protect users interests and the general security of the site. The changes that Facebook have made today, while they may inconvenience some application developers, have clearly been done to protect users from spammy tactics that some applications have employed.
I’m going to PUKE if I read any more news about Facebook. Sigh…
It seems like neither of these should have been possible in the first place on their platform, if I used it I guess it would have disturbed me a little.
They should probably get to work on the reports that their new RSS feeds provide private info to anyone as well.
I had the same problem with the stupid Questions app , i saw question from a friend that i trust , i tried to view the question but it kept asking me to install it , then i just ignored the all thing.
I knew it was fraud sort of thing.
Its good to know Facebook is blocking this behavior.
Obviously TechCrunch is on the facebook payroll – article after article about facebook!
yep the question application was pretty irritating some of my friends will be quite annoyed. If i had known.. well good that facebook is taking measures
Finally the facebook app harassment will get lower.
Good call Anthony. Seems like TC is on the FB and Google payrolls based on the amount of coverage…Maybe its something to do with Google ads all over the site?
I know this is totally off-topic but Mike, you need to work on your forums. I am still amazed with the amount of tech/startup folks that visit this site, that there is so little real content in the forums, and it is filled with junk. It’s a shame, as I’d love to connect to other people in the valley.
This just adds to my point about problems that Facebook has with opening up to 3rd party dev. http://www.blak...ing-its-glamor/
Facebook has been constantly tweaking the access it gives developers and their apps to Facebook users.
@ for the love of humanity
Facebook is the myspace for adults. Looking to get their kicks are a bunch of middle aged men and women trying to get lucky. It does make one want to puke. I am sure Arrington spends more time on FB then he does bringing this blog back to it’s original high standards. Getting lucky over there Mike?
WELCOME TO FACECRUNCH
I for one don’t mind the coverage on Facebook. After all, this is a blog about happenings in technology and Facebook and their API is the biggest internet tech story right now.
And, since it’s an evolving story, I want to know what’s going on.
There is a lot of talk about Facebook because they are the real deal.
True story.
Good thing they are stopping others from doing this…
…after Slide and RockYou got 20 million installs using these tactics.
Seems fair, right?
@all-the-losers-who-don’t-want-to-read-about-Facebook:
um… don’t like abortion? tip: don’t have one, dipshit.
in case you luddites haven’t noticed, the three most interesting and innovative companies out there these days are Google, Apple, & Facebook. for most developers and entrepreneurs who know their skinny white ass from a Cobol program, they tend to pay attention to these things. Mike tends to write about them. gee, think that’s a coincidence?
if you guys want to read about boring shit or lots of Web 1.0 leftovers, then take a hike & go read some tired old dead tree computer magazine.
jesus fucking christ get a clue.
- dmc
Here’s a suggestion to everyone who is complaining about the number of articles on TechCrunch concerning Facebook – don’t read them! If they annoy you that much, then you can exercise your powers of ambivalence to disregard them and skip to the next post….
That’s mature Dave. You wonder why people like TechDumpster call you a tool.
Sure it’s good that FB has updated their API to help prevent spamminess, but they should really do more than simply slap these guys on the wrist. Make a freaking example out of these people. Delete all these applications from the FB network immediately without notice, and ban the companies from further development on FaceBook, permanently. What they have done will accomplish nothing to deter this type of behavior in the future.
I agree with Sean, at least going forward. Anything more like this and the application should be swiftly deleted.
It would be interesting if they were to delete the applications, although that would likely open them up to potential litigation. I doubt this specific behavior was banned in the application developers terms. Plus you’d have a ton of users who actually like the app and have created content for them freak out.
I’m sure many of the developers of these applications saw these techniques as legitimate methods for drawing a larger user base. I am glad Facebook is deterring this seemingly dishonest behavior.
i’m a FB noob and the constant merry-go-round of ‘your friend has stuck their head in the fire, click here to stick yours in too’ really gets on my nerves due the subsequent necessity of installing some random app. i’m glad FB have decided to rescue their service from this spam, because it still offers a better experience than the other social networking sites i’ve tried
Good article. There is nothing worse than signing into Facebook and having to remove 20-30 article invitations. There should be no such thing as auto inviting anyone to use an application. If you see an application on someones page and you want it, click it, simple.
Good job on Facebook’s part. I’ve enjoyed my time on Facebook since they opened it up and I could finally join. However, the apps were becoming increasingly annoying, and I, like many, saw the potential for abuse and spam from the very beginning. This is a good step toward improving that situation, and I think Facebook is taking a wise approach to the situation by not taking drastic action, and instead opting to improve and test the waters. I’m sure if further abuse and methods of exploiting the code come up, they will make more changes.
And as for the people who continually come onto practically every post on this site (and others), regardless of the topic, and post about why it’s not news, or why they’re sicking of hearing about something, whether it be Google, Facebook, iPhone, Bush, China, or whatever particular current event or hot topic is in vogue, I will say this: just ignore it. If you don’t like what’s being posted on this blog, or any blog, go start your own. The comments section of a particular post is intended to be used for commenting on said post. If you want to vent about the way a site is run, or you feel you have something better to say, either start your own blog, or contact the blog owner directly and say so. But just because you dislike a post doesn’t mean you should come on here and ruin the experience for the rest of us that might actually be interested.
@aaronontheweb: thanks for the feedback, but i really don’t care that much if you or techtards call me a tool for ridiculing people who seem to think FB isn’t a notable news topic.
this article is discussing a relatively significant issue on how Facebook is interacting with app developers on *the* major issue they perceive (rightly or wrongly) as contributing to the growth of their apps. the companies discussed (Slide, RockYou, FB) are some of the fastest-growing on the web right now. FB’s decisions on Platform have huge implications for both users & venture-backed startups who are betting the farm on FB.
this is one of the single most interesting & important news items going on right now, and the stakes are high in terms of users, dollars, and politics. if the readers in the comments don’t have any reference point or clue on this stuff, i believe i’m completely justified in telling them to get their collective heads out of their asses, or go on home.
as owen likes to put it, get them a waaaaaaahmbulance, and STFU.
With so much coverage for Facebook on TC I guess its time for facecrunch, a blog centered around facebook news and issues
@Dave
this is one of the single most interesting & important news items going on right now, and the stakes are high in terms of users, dollars, and politics.
POLITICS? where have you had your head Dave? up AZuck’s techie ass? How ’bout you getting a real life. After all, FB is in the cyber world.
@Domin:
jesus you guys are so friggin’ literal.
i said “the stakes are high in terms of users, dollars, & politics”… meaning, the politics of FB corp vs FB dev community vs FB users. FB is trying to maintain a laissez-faire attitude towards Platform & developers, while at the same time attempting to curb abuse & protect FB users from excessive invite spam / etc.
politics, as in community politics… not legislative politics.
and no my head isn’t up Zuck’s butt, as i’m interested in both sides of the issue, not just the FB perspective. if you want proof i’m not kissing FB ass, check out my post on Facebook privacy:
Facebook Knows What You Did Last Summer (Facebook privacy settings)
(and no i don’t plan to get a real life. i’ve got 2 kids under 3
I’m stoked about this.
I’ve installed, tested, and reviewed more Facebook apps than just about anybody on planet earth can shake a stick at, and I’ve been getting really tired of knocking off points for this forced-viral nonsense.
I’ve been of the opinion for a while now that actions like this have been really damaging to the platform, reinforcing the notion held by many that Facebook apps are useless, annoying clutter. Hopefully this will help pave the way for developers who are creating useful content that will become viral because it’s *gasp* actually good.
Ryan MF
Editor
AppRate.com
I am glad they are doing something about it.. it is really discouraging to legitimate developers like me (Free Gifts) and the Graffiti guys and the majority of app developers. We don’t do any of that slimy spam crap and we maintain Top 10 positions, but companies like Slide don’t think twice about spamming their way ahead. I find it kind of ridiculous and a little strange that Facebook didn’t do anything about this within a day of My Questions getting nearly 25k users per hour…
I’m glad they are taking care of this, I’ve had several of the second type recently and they are quite annoying.
If Facebook doesn’t crack down on it hard, it puts pressure on other developers to do it in order to stay competitive. If devs are going to work their butts off to create good apps, they don’t want their work eclipsed by someone willing to lower their standards of user-friendly interaction. If app spamminess continues, I fully blame Facebook, not the developers. I look at their close relationship with Slide as motive for being soft on crime.
Michael – Deleting applications by Slide & RU is a really interesting thought. Dont you think the 2 application providers have the ability to hold FB hostage now, especially Slide.
BTW, its a curious relationship given that they are now starting to host an event together:
Facebook Developer Garage – Palo Alto
Tagline: Tap that App
Host: Facebook & Slide
It’s funny that RockYou and Slide (note the conflict of interest – Slide’s investors include The Founders Fund of Peter Thiel fame and Thiel is also an investor in Facebook. As to the history on this, Thiel was a co-founder of Paypal where Max Levchin, CEO of Slide, worked) are allowed to get away with this. Basically, this means they were able to spam to get to critical mass, but now everyone else will be backed.
It’s amazing to watch Facebook make stupid moves like this again and again. This just shows the lack of maturity over at Facebook. The party will end sometime for Zuckerberg & Co.
As for Dave McClure, he’s simply an idiot. He calls others luddites when in fact he’s the one who is. He has no perspective nor does he commonly use arguments. Dave – I know you have a brain, please use it. Let’s play a game. You invest in the three companies you mention, and I’ll pick from a basket of start-ups that make money and have a real business and we’ll see who is richer after 5 years. Everyone else can take bets on who will win – Dave McClure, Facebook sycophant and heckler 2.0, or TechDumpster, skeptic and voice of reason in 2.0 madness.
Does it not seem like a better idea to ban an app developer entirely who has violated the spirit of Facebook rather than to take measures to make certain features no longer possible to a developer who might use them for “white hat” purposes? For the Facebook team, this is a completely controllable environment for them. It seems lame to let a couple bad apples spoil the bunch. And dumpster, don’t mess with McClure!
Sure they did a good job with this, but they’ve lost a lot of respect in my eyes because of the little source fiasco and the C&D that they sent out – digg inclusive.
Don’t mess with McClure? That’s like telling a tiger not to eat. It’s too easy. He’s feeble.
@TechDumpster: i’m up for some kind of bet like that, altho i’m already an investor (either preferred or common) in about 10 startups. but that doesn’t mean i don’t think absolute revenue growth for those 3 companies isn’t going to blow the startups away.
in % terms, i’d bet on the startups.
in absolute $ terms, i’d absolutely bet on Apple, Google, and particularly Facebook. (but Facebook isn’t public, so how do we measure that?)
anyway, not sure why you’re calling me a luddite here — i’m the biggest believer in startups, and you’re the one writing the blog that’s ripping them left & right.
wanna explain that?
- dmc
I’m happy about this. I’m sick of the spam.
Facebook thought about their users first and their developers second. Good Job!
Keep blogging abut Facebook, TC.
Facebook was great when it went public, it was all the good stuff MySpace had to offer, without all the flashing, annoying colors and add ons. I am pleased to see that they’re taking steps to make the applications a little less annoying and bringing it one step closer back to basics.
Yeah, it is bullshit that Facebook does not punish the apps who use shady tactics. Instead, they just stop the ability for others to use the same tactic.
This is unfair because RockYou, Slide and others have already reaped the benefits and now it is even harder for others to compete with them.
I can’t wait for the money-less Web2.0/Facebook hype to end!
Opening the platform to developers is a mixed bag. However, I find that some of the applications I’ve tried have actually improved my user experience on Facebook.
Also, I track which applications or widgets my friends are adding, to see what they have discovered. Granted, some of the plug-ins are annoying crap, but it’s easy to delete the apps that you don’t like.
I’d like to know what do you all ppl think about facebook?
I know some ppl are crazy about it, are they onlya small number or it is actually a large amount that gonna lift facebook to heaven?