4 ms·

Facebook changes Open Graph guidelines to stop applications auto-posting

47 points by brackin 14y ago

bluetidepro 14y ago
Does this block apps like Spotify from displaying songs you are listening too? I'm curious as to how strict they will be about this.
- loceng 14y ago
  Likely not if they're able to make profit from it...
- brackin 14y ago
  That's an interesting one, I'd guess Spotify would be whitelisted if not as they started using the open graph before the public launch. Most apps hook you in to click from seeing a post on someone else's timeline and auto posts what you're looking at to yours like a virus. Spotify posts because you've decided to share what you're listening to and it's disable-able. It's slightly less passive. Social Cam sold at a good time, Viddy on the other hand are going to have to try and convince investors they're worth their $400m valuation.
- sp332 14y ago
  That seems to be specifically allowed. Apps that help people automatically share stories about content as they consume it, such as the music you are listening to, can be good experiences when apps create clear expectations for the user of what is being shared and when.
  - bluetidepro 14y ago
    Oh, okay! I must have missed that part. Thanks! :)
  - citizens 14y ago
    how convenient ;)
- astral303 14y ago
  Only built-in action types [1] are allowed, if you keep reading. This includes: "Listen - Song". Specifically: The following Built-in Action-Object pairs are available: Like - Any Object Type Follow - Profile Listen - Song Read - Article Watch - Video, Movie, TV Show, or TV Episode IMO a great change for user experience. 1 - https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/actions/builtin/ https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/actions/built...
- derwiki 14y ago
  Those are 'custom opengraph' stories and not wallposting on a user's behalf -- this announcement is unrelated.
lincolnq 14y ago
Great change. I'm glad Facebook is experimenting with features -- and I'm also glad that when the features turn out to be user-hostile, they have the power to remove them. I have always found the authenticated referrals, in particular, extremely sketchy. It seems my persistence in clicking "Mark As Spam" on these types of stories has paid off. :)
Karunamon 14y ago
It's nice to see Facebook has no qualms about shutting down some of these near-abusive practices.
- matznerd 14y ago
  While it is nice to see Facebook has no qualms about shutting down features, it is also problematic for people who build their businesses on a platform that is constantly shifting it's policies and features.
  - derwiki 14y ago
    Those who live by the platform die by the platform. You get a lot of distribution using the platform, but you have to switch channels occasionally and monitor how well the channel is doing independently. In the meantime, keep growing that email list..
Gertig 14y ago
I think it is overall a good move by Facebook, but this change will negatively impact those apps that are using actually useful actions in a responsible way like "Want", "Review" etc. It's sad to see those apps being lumped in with the offenders. [EDIT] - It looks like apps that use actions like "Want" etc. are actually going to be ok :) https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/guidelines/ https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/guidelines/
- mccolin 14y ago
  The guidelines specifically note that actions such as "want" which correlate to an actual activity are acceptable, provided the user is taking an action to trigger the story. The new policy is against passive custom actions triggered by reading content, etc.
  - Gertig 14y ago
    This line may hold what you are referring to: "custom actions that automatically publish back to Facebook as a person consumes content" What isn't clear to me is what it means to "automatically publish" to Facebook.
    - chrischen 14y ago
      Furthermore, how can Facebook even tell or is this a TOS sort of thing?
- andybak 14y ago
  Can you think of a way of structuring the system to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys?
ibeza 14y ago
This is definitely good for Facebook. I wonder what will happen to autoposting apps like IFTTT
bkanber 14y ago
Hold the phone. This policy change is only so apps can't auto-publish to your friends' timelines. It doesn't say anything about auto-publishing to your timeline, which I imagine is still allowed. An incremental improvement at best.. but still an improvement.
- glesperance 14y ago
  It is my understanding that apps can no longer publish automatically at all ; "In order to provide users with experiences that meet their expectations, we will no longer approve custom actions that publish stories as people consume content. These apps must use the appropriate built-in actions or create a different sharing experience."
  - jasonlotito 14y ago
    > It is my understanding that apps can no longer publish automatically at all You are misreading what they are specifically saying. First, we are talking about custom actions. Built in actions that FB provides are still allowed to be auto-published. Secondly, the restriction is merely on consuming content. You can debate what that means, but performing specific actions can still be auto-shared. However, simply consuming content, using custom actions, will not be permitted. So, listening to music can still be reported as you listen to music (this is a built in action), but viewing a picture won't fly.
    - danoc 14y ago
      That's true. Here is the list of built-in actions: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/objects/builtin/ https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/objects/built...

47 points by brackin 14y ago

Does this block apps like Spotify from displaying songs you are listening too? I'm curious as to how strict they will be about this.

loceng 14y ago
Likely not if they're able to make profit from it...
brackin 14y ago
That's an interesting one, I'd guess Spotify would be whitelisted if not as they started using the open graph before the public launch. Most apps hook you in to click from seeing a post on someone else's timeline and auto posts what you're looking at to yours like a virus. Spotify posts because you've decided to share what you're listening to and it's disable-able. It's slightly less passive. Social Cam sold at a good time, Viddy on the other hand are going to have to try and convince investors they're worth their $400m valuation.
sp332 14y ago
That seems to be specifically allowed. Apps that help people automatically share stories about content as they consume it, such as the music you are listening to, can be good experiences when apps create clear expectations for the user of what is being shared and when.
- bluetidepro 14y ago
  Oh, okay! I must have missed that part. Thanks! :)
- citizens 14y ago
  how convenient ;)
astral303 14y ago
Only built-in action types [1] are allowed, if you keep reading. This includes: "Listen - Song". Specifically: The following Built-in Action-Object pairs are available: Like - Any Object Type Follow - Profile Listen - Song Read - Article Watch - Video, Movie, TV Show, or TV Episode IMO a great change for user experience. 1 - https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/actions/builtin/ https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/actions/built...
derwiki 14y ago
Those are 'custom opengraph' stories and not wallposting on a user's behalf -- this announcement is unrelated.

lincolnq 14y ago

Great change. I'm glad Facebook is experimenting with features -- and I'm also glad that when the features turn out to be user-hostile, they have the power to remove them. I have always found the authenticated referrals, in particular, extremely sketchy. It seems my persistence in clicking "Mark As Spam" on these types of stories has paid off. :)

Karunamon 14y ago

It's nice to see Facebook has no qualms about shutting down some of these near-abusive practices.

matznerd 14y ago
While it is nice to see Facebook has no qualms about shutting down features, it is also problematic for people who build their businesses on a platform that is constantly shifting it's policies and features.
- derwiki 14y ago
  Those who live by the platform die by the platform. You get a lot of distribution using the platform, but you have to switch channels occasionally and monitor how well the channel is doing independently. In the meantime, keep growing that email list..

Gertig 14y ago

I think it is overall a good move by Facebook, but this change will negatively impact those apps that are using actually useful actions in a responsible way like "Want", "Review" etc. It's sad to see those apps being lumped in with the offenders. [EDIT] - It looks like apps that use actions like "Want" etc. are actually going to be ok :) https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/guidelines/ https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/guidelines/

mccolin 14y ago
The guidelines specifically note that actions such as "want" which correlate to an actual activity are acceptable, provided the user is taking an action to trigger the story. The new policy is against passive custom actions triggered by reading content, etc.
- Gertig 14y ago
  This line may hold what you are referring to: "custom actions that automatically publish back to Facebook as a person consumes content" What isn't clear to me is what it means to "automatically publish" to Facebook.
  - chrischen 14y ago
    Furthermore, how can Facebook even tell or is this a TOS sort of thing?
andybak 14y ago
Can you think of a way of structuring the system to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys?

ibeza 14y ago

This is definitely good for Facebook. I wonder what will happen to autoposting apps like IFTTT

bkanber 14y ago

Hold the phone. This policy change is only so apps can't auto-publish to your friends' timelines. It doesn't say anything about auto-publishing to your timeline, which I imagine is still allowed. An incremental improvement at best.. but still an improvement.

glesperance 14y ago
It is my understanding that apps can no longer publish automatically at all ; "In order to provide users with experiences that meet their expectations, we will no longer approve custom actions that publish stories as people consume content. These apps must use the appropriate built-in actions or create a different sharing experience."
- jasonlotito 14y ago
  > It is my understanding that apps can no longer publish automatically at all You are misreading what they are specifically saying. First, we are talking about custom actions. Built in actions that FB provides are still allowed to be auto-published. Secondly, the restriction is merely on consuming content. You can debate what that means, but performing specific actions can still be auto-shared. However, simply consuming content, using custom actions, will not be permitted. So, listening to music can still be reported as you listen to music (this is a built in action), but viewing a picture won't fly.
  - danoc 14y ago
    That's true. Here is the list of built-in actions: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/objects/builtin/ https://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/objects/built...