Facebook Updates Platform Policy on Hidden Features

May 22nd, 2008

By Justin Smith

Three days ago, MySpace added several new restrictions to its Platform guidelines that prohibit applications from offering incentives to users for sending messages to friends. The new guidelines apply to both offering game-like rewards and restricting access to application features. The development community is reacting as you would expect, and game developers here at the InterPlay social games conference are particularly feeling the pain.

Today, perhaps in response to the MySpace policy update, Facebook announced an update to its Platform guidelines prohibiting applications from requiring users to send messages in order to gain access application features. While Facebook has officially not allowed forced invites for a long time, this update makes the rule more broadly applicable. The new policy says,

[Applications cannot] Require that users invite, notify, or otherwise communicate with one or more friends to gain access to any feature, information, or portion of the application, unless (a) it would be logically impossible to deliver that content without the user’s friend(s) also using the application, and (b) the fact of this requirement, and the reason(s) for it, are explicitly and prominently explained inside the application before the first element of the flow path users would reasonably expect to lead to that content.

However, Facebook did not add the same guidelines on incentives – that would have a big impact on many social game developers.

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One Response to “Facebook Updates Platform Policy on Hidden Features”

Jamie Says:
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Good news!

not going to list applications (1 not to shame them and 2 it be one pretty long list) but if this is what i believe it is. Loads of applications will need to change there practices particularly those that say ’send 10 to unlock level 2 etc’

as this post seems to make these type of application prohibited

also those that you earn points (to pay for new items .g. Jambool Applications e.g. hug me a new hug, Growing Gifts & Hatching Eggs new format that you gain points and can buy a item with those points – this update also seems that it may stop this as well.

so basically all content from this has to be upfront and if new features or ideas are added they need to be at the start (or available to all when added)

—–
Now Facebook needs to decide about applications with same names (e.g. Hug me) – all applications should be required to have a different display name.

also there is a few applications (developers) that abusing the service by creating several duplicate applications to get round the friend request restrictions. One valid exception is Extended Info with its More Extended Info application (its motivate aint inviting friends and there is not upto 10 of them a fictional example is apps.facebook.com/spammy_hugs then having 5 applications like apps.facebook.com/spammy_hugs4

Also consider an idea of forcing collabration that means not 200 hug application for example down to a few or applications can interwork (legally)