Facebook bans 'forced invites' in apps

Ever come across one of those Facebook Platform applications that required you to spam a dozen of your friends with invites before you could access the results of your "Vampire Jedi Zombie Personality Quiz"?

They're annoying. And now Facebook has done something about it. Developer applications must "offer some navigation option to leave the friend invite process," according to a change in the social-networking site's platform policy. If an application's friend-invite page doesn't contain one of Facebook's in-house "Skip This Step," "Cancel," or "Skip" buttons, it has to contain an alternative way to navigate away from the friend invite process.

Developers whose applications ignore the new regulations reportedly receive warning letters that threaten shutdown if they fail to comply.

This is a big step toward cleaning up the cluttered Facebook app directory. Ideally, it will cut down on some of the "app invite overkill" that's led many Facebook users to groan every time they're invited to the corny application du jour. And it'll likely mean that Facebook members will probably only be passing on invites to applications they actually like, rather than spamming their friends just so they can learn what character from Hannah Montana they most resemble.

It will also mean your friends won't have to know that you even installed such an abhorrent application.

[gomer43]

They'll still know

The news feed will still tell other users what applications they've
installed.

[drhamad]

So? Also: Not necessarily

First off, nothing wrong with being informed of others using apps. I like that, because some of the apps I end up wanting. The problem was being forced to send invites.

Regardless though, if you don't want others to see what you install, simply do not check "publish stories to my news feed" when you install the app.

[ericmatz]

They'll still know, unless...

...you use the handy little "Hide this story" icon to take it off your feed.

[david.lian]

Good move, Facebook

Yes,I reckon my BACN-filled mailbox will now get back under control.

Those Zombie / Vampire / Jedi / Werewolf apps were fun while they lasted, but I reckon everyone's sick of them by now and probably a major reason why people have left face book.

[drhamad]

Well, maybe

Here's my question about that. Is that considered forced inviting, or merely optional?

[drhamad]

Thank god!

I was annoyed by apps that requested you invite your friends before moving on to the actual app. But a couple weeks ago I started running across apps that FORCED you to. That REALLY pissed me off. Great move, Facebook! Thank you!

[morlamweb]

Thank you, Facebook!

I get about 2 quiz invitations a day on Facebook. I began to wonder, "why would my friends send this stupid quiz to me?" Time was, I actually filled out one or two of these quizzes, only to run into the spam problem. I don't like quizzes that hold my results hostage until I invite X number of friends to the app. But then again, I don't really care for quizzes either, so in that situation I just closed out the browser tab. I'd rather be kept in the dark about my quiz results than send invites to half my friends list. It's not like I'm going to lose any sleep over it. I still use Facebook, but I ignore all new quiz requests and the like. They're just not worth my time.

[www.hdgreetings.com]

We were advised to do this...

Someone who was advising in development of our facebook app said this was really important to force invites to grow your user base.

Good thing we didn't listen as apparently most other people don't like this idea.

It's too "used car salesmanish".

[paulos875682347]

This is SO true... MUST see!

http://www.plutocats.com/corporatezombie/CZ15Feb08.html

[aka_tripleB]

Some just as important to me

Don't let apps have access to my personal info until I get to see what I get for it. I'm sure everyone has given someone access, then taken a quiz only to end up at a page with a ad for some dating website. They are usually the ones that force you to invite all your friends. Let's have the "access personal info" at the end of the app after the results.