You know those emails you get every time someone comments on a status update you already commented on? It can definitely get annoying. Facebook applications previously had similar functionality, however as of yesterday afternoon, comment notifications have been shut off. For most users it’s probably not a huge deal, however some developers are already complaining about this subtle change.
In a discussion on the Facebook developer board regarding app-to-user notifications, Matt Trainer of Facebook told developers two weeks ago that “Notifications generated by fb:comments will continue to work.” Two weeks later, they’ve been shut off and one developer who just reached out to us suggests that this is a “double standard”. As the developer told us:
Facebook claims that this is to eliminate a user from receiving notifications as a result of actions by non-friends. However, if I reply on a friend’s wall and someone posts after me who is not a friend, I still receive a notification. In both situations, I’ve contributed to a wall. In both situations, a non-friend responds. But only on the Facebook wall do I get a notification about the response.
While an automated feature that developers had no control over previously, this functionality allowed for reengagement from users who wanted to have conversations with other users (friends or not). The end result here is that some developers are not happy. While I’m not sure that Facebook will restore comment notifications within applications, it’s clearly a feature that many developers would like to retain.
Boohoo if the developers don’t like it, if they had their way, we’d be receiving a constant stream of spam in every form from all of their apps. I’m glad Facebook is cutting down on the unnecessary notifications.
I’m one who tires quickly of unnecessary notifications. I think notifications should be limited to friends only. I’ve given up clicking into status updates I’ve commented on that were overwhelmed by one-word comments from non-friends. I’m only interested in what my friends are doing/saying anyway. Any step in this direction is good, as far as I’m concerned.
This can be an annoying feature for just the average FB user, which I believe is more then half of the FB population. But I figured they would give you an option to just simply turn email notifications on or off.
From a user standpoint, application makes more sense for this feature anyway. Within facebook proper, you don’t want noise from non-friends. But if you are in a single topic app or game, comments from non-friends are relevant if they are advancing a discussion.
WHY cant they make it so you can CHOOSE whether or NOT to receive/send notifications??! …I’m getting TIRED of having to UNDO a notification every damn time i visit someone’s farm or whatever… and i really could care less about what some other bozo commented on…
Why not let the users decide themselves what we want? The only thing worth debating should be whatever that setting defaults to.
I agree with JamesR404 – why can’t it be an option for Facebook users to decided if they want to see posts from non-friends?
Why can’t I decide to just block all notices from all applications? I have absolutely zero interest in taking part in any of them.
I personally think they did this so you would have to visit friends’ profiles to “check” and see if anyone else commented. This equates to more page views for Facebook and more eyes seeing ads on friends’ profile pages…
TO be honest i dont think so this is going to be a very good stuff, why force people, why dont you give them liberty to chose the best for themselves?
WHY cant they make it so you can CHOOSE whether or NOT to receive/send notifications??! …I’m getting TIRED of having to UNDO a notification every damn time i visit someone’s farm or whatever… and i really could care less about what some other bozo commented on…
TO be honest i dont think so this is going to be a very good stuff, why force people, why dont you give them liberty to chose the best for themselves?