Facebook Blocks Breakup Notifier
Accuses the application of being ‘spammy’
Within just a few days of reporting about Facebook‘s controversial new Breakup Notifier application, the social networking website has shut it down. The application, which would allow users to keep a track on the relationship status of their crushes, got a rousing response with over a million users making a beeline for it. Facebook, however, has blocked the application. Not only that, but developer Dan Loewenherz’s personal account has been deleted from Facebook as well.
Facebook conveyed the developer through an e-mail that the Breakup Notifier application is being banned because various factors like algorithms and user feedback (which seem least likely in this case) makes it perceive the application as being “spammy”. The message reads:
“To ensure positive user experiences on Platform, we run routine automated screens that take user feedback, machine learning and various algorithms into account and remove spammy applications. For example, if an application is making an inordinate number of stream.publish calls and receiving a large number of user reports, it may be removed by our automated systems to protect the user experience and the Platform ecosystem.”
The developer Loewenherz got no response from Facebook, but he’s already made it clear that he’s keen to do whatever Facebook requires of him, to comply with the policies and get Breakup Notifier unblocked. “We’re willing to comply with whatever they want us to (within reason).” Facebook spokesperson finally gave an official statement about the application ban to Techcrunch, which said, “We have automated systems in place to ensure apps on Facebook Platform provide a positive user experience, and we’re currently looking into the issue with ‘Breakup Notifier’”.
However, what we can’t get our heads around is why Facebook had to delete his account? The timing of the app and his account getting shut down is too peculiar to dismiss as a coincidence. Whatever may be the reason, we hope the two parties resolve the issue. We believe in the face of the bad press attributed to the privacy fiascos last year, Facebook seems to be playing overly safe.
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