6 Comments »If you thought Facebook was the quick way to million of users overnight, you may want to think again. Yesterday, Facebook implemented a few more changes that will help them battle spam but will also create more restrictions for applications. One new addition has been the permanent application invite block link that had been added to application requests:
Another interesting addition is a checkbox that is displayed both on the application installation page as well as the applications settings pop-up within your “edit applications” page. I have included screenshots of both below:
Facebook is also increasing their fight against forced invites and heavily penalizing those applications that try to gain users by forcing invitations. If you take a look at the statistics of survey applications since Facebook added the new invitation restrictions, daily active users have practically tanked. Ultimately, the only effective applications will be those that generate avid brand evangelists. Those evangelists will invite all of their friends and go tell many of the other users.
We are slowly beginning to see the evolution of Facebook into a platform for valuable and engaging applications as opposed to the first six months which were dominated by spammy applications. I also have to wonder if the difference between social application growth within the platform and social application growth outside of the platform (new web startups) will continue to be significant. In other words, does the application invite system generate substantially more user growth over general websites that use traditional email invites?
There are a bunch of related ‘quiz’ applications that seem new. They let you take the quiz, and then don’t let you see the result without you inviting 20 of your friends. They are trying to get around the forced invites by doing the forcing later on.
It’s backfiring on them, because they are getting crappy reviews by springing this on people. (They all get around 1.2 stars).
There are a bunch of related ‘quiz’ applications that seem new. They let you take the quiz, and then don’t let you see the result without you inviting 20 of your friends. They are trying to get around the forced invites by doing the forcing later on.
It’s backfiring on them, because they are getting crappy reviews by springing this on people. (They all get around 1.2 stars).
the email options aren’t new.
but I am glad to see that it’s finally an option to black an app. I’m tired of getting the same ones over and over.
in fact, I’ve already deleted several of my friends (to some of whom I am very close IRL) because of those damn app invites.
the email options aren’t new.
but I am glad to see that it’s finally an option to black an app. I’m tired of getting the same ones over and over.
in fact, I’ve already deleted several of my friends (to some of whom I am very close IRL) because of those damn app invites.
Yes this is a very welcome change and I applaud the facebook team for thinking of users first. Anyone seeking to use fb as a platform for monetizing their spammy/crappy applications should start to think twice before unleashing any more ultimate FAIL on us.
Yes this is a very welcome change and I applaud the facebook team for thinking of users first. Anyone seeking to use fb as a platform for monetizing their spammy/crappy applications should start to think twice before unleashing any more ultimate FAIL on us.