Posts Tagged ‘Facebook Platform’

New Changes in Facebook

Published by pratyushkp on April 9th, 2011 - in Social, Technology

Though the social networking site comes up with many changes, there are five things that the site necessarily needs to modify for better user experience.

The site has allowed the “friends” of the users to ad them to various groups. Now, this can be very annoying if the user starts getting messages from the group he has been forcibly added to. The site does not ask permission from the user and the user has to take the effort of “ungrouping” his account.

The new photo viewer has not been a very welcome change either. The light box is not very friendly to the eye and effects the visual experience. It also appears to be a very “closed” site. The messaging system has also been configured to act as “chats” and not everybody is comfortable using them. The tabs are now less prominent and the Facebook team has dismissed all customized tabs.

Over all the Facebook platform has incorporated many changes that aren’t exactly welcome. But there are other changes like the keyboard shortcuts to navigate, centered image etc which are a welcome change.

Related Articles
  • keyBoard shortCuts in faceBook (vishalshrimali.wordpress.com)
  • Foreign Social Networking Websites? (basekit.com)
  • New Google CEO Pushes Social Networking strategy (pcworld.com)
  • Facebook Promotes Social E-Commerce (bits.blogs.nytimes.com)
  • Facebook closes today … NOT! (go.theregister.com)
  • Facebook Value Could Rise on Mobile Usage (bloggingstocks.com)
  • Facebook Social Research Platform Launches (allfacebook.com)
  • Facebook Nears 500 Million Users Milestone (popcrunch.com)
  • Facebook Boots Kate Middleton (No, Not That Kate Middleton) (popcrunch.com)
  • Twitter Turns To Brand Pages: Increases Its Appeal To Brand Owners (convonix.com)
  • Google CEO Page hones in on social networking (macworld.com)
  • Yahoo! Takes on Google and Social Networking Sites to woo Indian Users (globalthoughtz.com)
Tags: , , Keyboard shortcut, , , , ,
1 Comment »

Facebook Like to get Share button feature

Published by pratyushkp on March 1st, 2011 - in Social, Technology

Tests are being conducted including very limited number of Facebook users

Popular social network Facebook s Like button has given birth to thousands of serial likers (Yes, I just made it up). Apparently to live up to the true motive of liking and sharing user-generated or uploaded content, Facebook had introduced new Share button last year. Till date, you could like almost everything on Facebook but can t share the same in your News Feed with your connections. Mashable reports that the Like button is soon getting Share functionality and thereby you can share the posted content with others.

Upcoming features at Facebook always keep showing up during the testing phase. Facebook spokeswoman Malorie Lucich informed that Facebook will continue to carry the Share button on the website. Lucich said, We re always testing new products that incorporate developer feedback as we work to improve the Platform experience, and have no details to share at this time.

Basically any post, photo, video, or link you Like on Facebook would get the Share functionality as well so that you can share it with others. In a way, it s just going to increase the noise by duplication of same post. To Like something on Facebook is very different from sharing it with others.  Marketers and publishers would certainly admire the new Share functionality of the Like button since the audience will be anticipated to like and share the content.
Like & Share buttons

The new feature has its own set of merits and demerits. The merit lies in the fact that users can share whatever they like with others after hitting Like button. But the demerit lies in the fact that just because one hits Like button doesn t mean user wants to share it with his/her friends. In fact just like several complain about certain users hitting Like button for everything and everywhere possible, it just becomes difficult to judge accurately whether the purpose was served or not.

The share functionality for Like button would be visible mostly on the Facebook web interface and mobile interface only. It won’t impact the individual Like and Share plugins available as part of Social Plugins. However, we do not underestimate the Facebook users for several know what each feature stands for. Hence I hope if and when this new feature rolls out, users will make use of it judiciously.

Related Articles
  • You: Facebook’s Like button: More about sharing than approval (washingtonpost.com)
  • Facebook Like button takes over Share button (cnn.com)
  • Facebook Testing Like-Minded Links (blogs.wsj.com)
  • Facebook Like Button Now Acts like Share [Sweet News For Publishers] (fastgush.com)
  • New Facebook ‘Like’ button takes over the ‘share’ button (browsermedia.co.uk)
  • Facebook phasing out Share button in favor of the Like button (geek.com)
  • Facebook Brings More features to The “Like” Button (techie-buzz.com)
  • Facebook Like Button Takes Over Share Button Functionality (mashable.com)
  • Facebook Like Button Takes Over The Share Button (mindjumpers.com)
  • The Facebook “Like” Starts to Replace the Share Button’s Functionality (readwriteweb.com)
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
3 Comments »

Facebook Blocks Breakup Notifier

Published by pratyushkp on February 25th, 2011 - in Social, Technology

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.

Related Articles
  • Crush-Stalking App Breakup Notifier Amasses Over 3.6M Users, Is Shut Down By Facebook (techcrunch.com)
  • Facebook Squashes New ‘Stalker’ App (foxnews.com)
  • The Automated Facebook App Monster Claims Another Victim (allfacebook.com)
  • Facebook Cracks Down On Third Party Apps (informationweek.com)
  • Facebook breaks up with breakup app (geeksaresexy.net)
  • Facebook Breakup Notifier App — Cool or Creepy? (jsyk.com)
  • Get Facebook Breakup Notifier: Find When Your Crush is Available (quickonlinetips.com)
  • Facebook Breakup Notifier Tells You When People Breakup or Are Single Again (techie-buzz.com)
  • Breakup Notifier: find out when Facebook friends are single again (geek.com)
  • Facebook Breakup Notifier Doesn’t Do Much Stalking (allfacebook.com)
Tags: application, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Breakup App, Breakup Notifier, , , Machine learning, , User experience
No Comments »
© Social Media Blog