Friend.ly Photo App Spreading Through Facebook Like A Virus

A new Facebook Connect application has spread quickly around the Facebook social graph by tagging all of a user’s friends who have the same zodiac sign. This is the latest in a series of new photo tagging applications which have been spreading like wildfire across the site. The Facebook platform lets users easily tag their friends but by prompting users for unrestricted posting and unrestricted photo upload permissions, the application is able to spread like crazy. It leads me to wonder whether Facebook will begin cracking down on these types of apps.

The way Facebook’s new permissions system is that users must specifically grant permission to applications to make any extended actions on behalf of the user. The issue with this application is that it then takes advantage of those users who granted them permission to spam all their friends. Don’t want to approve the application for its permissions? That’s fine! This “friendly” application will then send you to a page within Facebook which is filled with aggressive IQ quiz ads.

This aggressive application has successfully grown to over 8.4 million users. While most users don’t realize that the application is spamming the profiles of all their friends, it’s clear that the application has reached critical mass. A large percentage of my friends have now been tagged in photos by friends they don’t event have strong ties to. This form of growth through loose connections makes me think the Friend.ly application has crossed a line.

Has the application violated Facebook’s terms of service? As far as I know they haven’t but it’s clear that the photo tagging feature is the new way to quickly attract millions of users. Friend.ly isn’t the only application to aggressively tag users. Earlier this week I wrote about the All my Friends! application creating large amounts of spam. There’s now another application called Friends Character which is using a similar strategy and now has over 2.5 million monthly active users.

While the basic idea behind the applications are clever, this automated form of tagging ends up generating a lot of noise which degrades the overall Facebook user’s experience. Clearly this is just my opinion though and millions of users appear to be thoroughly enjoying some of these apps. The friend.ly app for instance has be rated 3.8 out of 5 stars although that appears to be dropping quickly.

Just today, numerous users have rated the application 1 out of 5 stars due to it tagging friends in photos without a user’s explicit permission. My guess is that Facebook will begin cutting down on these applications quickly but not before millions of users are touched or “tagged” by them.

-friend.ly application-

-friend.ly permissions screenshot-

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7705119 Comments2009-09-16+21%3A55%3A13Nick+O%27Neill »

Hope they crack down on crap like this. creates too much noise on the network… uggh

John

@jobrieniii

Comment by Facebook User — September 16, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
Nick– I saw earlier today that your Facebook page was overtaken by the Pisces monster… I hope they'll put a stop to this crazy nonsense! Ridiculous!

Comment by Megan — September 16, 2009 @ 2:13 pm
I totally agree and have this spam coming in from all my friends – most of my "Highlights" bar is this crap (friend.ly and various copy cats).

I don't care if it's against anything within the TOC, or not – this is underhanded and playing on the trusting nature of honest people.

It destroys the environment for future developers and their applications by reducing the trust users had. So, the next time my app pops up an "Allow Authorization" dialog, will the user trust my app enough to allow access? Even if the access I am requesting is 100% benevolent?

Comment by Dean Higginbotham — September 16, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
You guys don't understand. This application is immensely clever, and all of its million of users are supporting it because they understand this merit.

This is nothing like the useless junk that permeates Facebook. This is the future of social networking, allowing people to come together with an ease and efficiency that leaves previous forms of communication behind in the dust.

I understand your initial trepidation, but the same thing happens with every big paradigm shift. I wonder how many one star votes Facebook's newsfeed would have gotten if users could vote. This is the future. Learn to love it.

Comment by Alex — September 16, 2009 @ 2:23 pm
I notice that friend.ly doesn't appear in any application search results within FaceBook. So how do I block it? how do I hide it?

I'm not going to 'learn to love it' unless I'm given the choice whether I want to see it or not.

Comment by weez — September 16, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
Alex…just wondering what vested interest you have in spreading that party line propaganda, hmmm?

Comment by Cathy Gould — September 17, 2009 @ 1:09 am
Friend.ly has another one out there. Something that starts with longest and shortest name in your list. Sounds like they have a small army of programers creating new apps every day.

Comment by Crickett — September 17, 2009 @ 5:43 am
http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Add...

"The sending of a user-to-user notification, and its content, must be expected by the sending user. If the information contained in the notification would not otherwise be available to the recipient via Facebook, the user who is the subject of the notification must provide explicit consent to the content of the notification. "

This app is DEFINITELY violating facebook guidelines.

Comment by Mike Sherov — September 17, 2009 @ 5:43 am
quierohacer algo en esta pagina para monatar fostos en el facebook

Comment by jeancarlos — September 17, 2009 @ 6:16 am
Yeah these apps are dreadful. Contrast with an app like this one:

http://apps.facebook.com/sillystatus/tags.php

where you actually get to customise the image, and YOU choose who to tag instead of having it done randomly by the app…

Comment by Pete Gravell — September 17, 2009 @ 6:43 am
Is there a way to stop these apps from tagging you?

Comment by Kaysha Edward MrShad — September 17, 2009 @ 8:22 am
These apps are sooooooo annoying… When they appear in your tagged photo albums just remove the tag by your name and they will disappear from your photos….

Comment by Meredith — September 17, 2009 @ 9:26 am
I hate this Zodiac Friends thing. Already blocked a couple of friends in order to stop it.

Comment by EJ Hill — September 17, 2009 @ 9:48 am
wanna make it i don’t know how

Comment by Hiral Patel — September 17, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
am new tell me how to use this

Comment by Joyce Adhiambo — September 17, 2009 @ 3:46 pm
does anyone know how to find the Profile page for the Zodiac app?

i've found the others and blocked them, but when i look at the Friend.ly Zodiac picture that friends have been tagged in, it only lists a site off of Facebook… i don't know if that's a violation, but it seems they should have to list their Facebook page…

also, is there way to prevent being tagged?

if we've opted out of the facebook API (go to Privacy Settings, then to Applications, then choose the SETTINGS tab, you'll have to drop all apps to be able to check the Do Not share option) will that stop it? thank you

Comment by tierre — September 17, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
I was totally dismayed at the number of similar apps and especially the way it blitzed the highlights preventing sight of original photographs and sets but also choking profile and history logs of what people are actually up to. The attraction of this app to the majority is solely that it requires no effort or imagination whatsoever.

This, like so many features of Facbook, crushes individuality and creativity and you needn’t hold your breath that Facebook will put a stop to this- they want to encourage it because the mindset is increase membership and traffic to generate advertising revenue. That is the sole purpose of Facebook – it is no longer the extension of global altruism enabling peers to communicate as it was first envisaged.

Highlights is already a bizarre feature as there seems no logic to what gets to be in them.

The explanation is simple just as there are a whole range of apps that require no thought, effort or originality, quizzes, Farmville , what kind of ***** am I? ( Did you need to ask?? !!!! and are we bothered? Facebook chief appeal is that it costs nothing and provides one of many forums for kids who really have nothing of any worth or depth to communicate and use the place as a boredom breaker. Otherwise they’d just use their phones and text and see it as an extension of games consoles and the virtual worlds they like to hang out in while they find a life of their own.

So much of what is written is of no interest whatsoever to anyone other than a person or persons that an individual knows. But why don’t they stick to texting ? That won’t do as they want to be noticed. Facebook at least offers the prospect of more attention from a greater number of people regardless of whether they have any interest in you , what you do or have to say. Vanity ?

The ad pane top right enables the member to “vote” but when you do, an endless stream of other ads pop up. If only it were possible to hide any item in Highlights that was of no interest and wouldn’t it also be cool if all that dross , the quizzes, the ‘these are my top ten this and that ‘ could be opted out of so you could genuinely customize what you saw in the history stream or what communication appeared on your profile.

I’d be happy to see Facebook going the way that Fotolog went with tiers of membership where people pay in to be able to tailor the interface and customise it so that ads and all this mindless pointless apps never trouble you. Mercifully Facebook hasn’t been destroyed in the way that Fotolog has been- the latter having been flooded by a massive tidal wave of South American teen spammers.

Comment by john coxon — September 18, 2009 @ 4:11 am
The app has been removed by facebook, another note is to never allow a site such as access your facebook by pressing the connect button it's just bad practice

Comment by Christopher — September 18, 2009 @ 5:43 am
I believe I was a victum of a virus transmitted through a person requesting to be a friend on facebook. If you don't know the person do not respond to them.

Comment by shay miller — September 18, 2009 @ 5:55 am
I think it is a virus that is messing up my Facebook page by randomly changing my status and profile pic. Just me?

Comment by Terrence — September 18, 2009 @ 6:49 am
Bitch, bitch, bitch. I swear if I read one more article complaining about a facebook app I’m going to lose it (more than normal).

Comment by Shane — September 18, 2009 @ 9:50 am
it's good but dangerous

Comment by kemelayefa — September 18, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
You need to send EMAIL to

abuse@facebook.com

and write the following:

Hi,

I have been victim of harassment for many days now by many unauthorized posts to my wall by this application from "friend.ly/zodiac".

I have searched for "zodiac friend", "zodiac", or "zodiac friend photos" in facebook (with selection of application on the left hand side). Even "friend.ly" or "friend.ly/zodiac", and I get " no result ".

yet, this is in facebook's etiquette:

"To block an application, go to the Application Directory and find the application you wish to block. Once found, click on the picture for the application to see its About page. On the About page you will have the option to "Block this Application" on the right side of the screen. "

This application is going against the facebook platform policy.

Please remove and block all access to it immediately. I expect you will abide by your own policy. I expect nothing less.

Regards,

Comment by Francis — September 19, 2009 @ 12:55 am
the app was disabled!

Comment by Asdrúbal Iv&a — September 19, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
Me gustaria saber como hago para crear el album de fotos del zodiaco

Comment by Mildred Machado — September 19, 2009 @ 5:09 pm
I don't think it has been disabled…I got tagged again today. There's so many of these running rampant now. Another one to watch out for is Fan Check. I don't know if it's still active but it was two weeks ago.

Comment by SpYke! — September 19, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
Please joing the FB group “We are sick of nuisance apps and Facebook must ban them NOW!!!” http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133244678018&ref=mf and hopefully we can get these intrusive apps banned. Thanks!

Comment by sunline — September 19, 2009 @ 9:33 pm
pues que es super bacano

Comment by tania navarro serran — September 20, 2009 @ 5:17 am
la mas linda

Comment by tania navarro serrano — September 20, 2009 @ 9:16 am
my friends zodiac signs

Comment by Victoria Owolabi — September 20, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
how are u

Comment by Victoria Owolabi — September 20, 2009 @ 7:19 pm
love u all

Comment by Victoria Owolabi — September 20, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
hiii happy eid for all people

Comment by Mrwa Nagash — September 22, 2009 @ 7:37 am
ow do i go about it? ehn?!

Comment by Brian Etim — September 28, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
I need details of the way out

Comment by Adebiyi T. Elijah — September 30, 2009 @ 5:16 am
connect me to scorpion zodiac

Comment by ibro — October 4, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
i am a taurus and i want to create my own zodiac friend photo that will be in my photo album

Comment by chukwunenye Enemmo — October 13, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
post to my wall my own zodiac friend photo

Comment by Chukwunenye Enemmo — October 13, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
this is us

Comment by Antoinette Moore — October 14, 2009 @ 2:10 pm
i am a leo and i want to create my own zodiac friend photo that will be in my photo album

Comment by Aghaizu Stephen Ikec — October 16, 2009 @ 3:42 am
all my friends

Comment by Abdou -garcia — October 18, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
yo quiero hacer puedo si o no

Comment by Yissella Susana Ossandon Mora — October 20, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
quiero hacer uno y no se como

Comment by Karolay Alejandra Agamez — October 27, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
imy zodiac is aquarius ……….

Comment by adinda mutiara — November 1, 2009 @ 4:23 am
super la aplicacion

Comment by Nom Atti — November 1, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
cc

Comment by Ousman Mahamat Zene — November 6, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
my zodiac is leo

Comment by Saimir Dine — November 9, 2009 @ 11:42 pm
aries

Comment by Luisa Perez — November 16, 2009 @ 11:47 am
MY ZODIAC SIGN IS PISCES

Comment by Janine Fredericks — November 24, 2009 @ 3:40 am
cancer

Comment by Andre Walker — November 26, 2009 @ 7:28 am
Holaaaaaaaaaaa Porque no Ahy nada en español??

Comment by José Ponce Br — November 28, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
Am a libra can u create my zodiac friends photo album pls.

Comment by modupeola owolabi — December 4, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
how can i get the friend.ly zodiac so i could but everybody on my pic

Comment by Lucy Garcia — December 5, 2009 @ 6:38 am
i am leo

Comment by Lucy Garcia — December 5, 2009 @ 6:38 am
HEY DNT KNOW OW 2 USE DIS I NID UR ASSISTANCE U CAN COACH ME THROUGH DIS MAIL JAYELL60@ROCKETMAIL.COM

Comment by Adediran Jesulayomi — December 9, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
please coache me through the email address above i want know how to use the zodiac friendly and i need ur assistance

Comment by Blessing — December 10, 2009 @ 3:37 am
We want to know why can't we add that app and why can't upload the zodic appear when we set it up on our album

Comment by Shauntina & Antw — December 12, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
Virgo

Comment by Tara Scavone — December 17, 2009 @ 2:42 pm
just checking the site

Comment by Lazaro Santiago — December 24, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
Como se crea una foto de zodiiakO el q me quiera ayudar contacteme a estas vias:

facebook: Paola Gomez

SI ERES DE Venezuela contactame a este numero 0426-450-01-74 si la explicacion me la envias via telefonica

Correo electronico: elcaramelitodemani@hotmail.com

Comment by Paola — December 26, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
we all love you

Comment by ilyaas056 — December 26, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
i like it. it brings personality to people page. it upgrades you.

Comment by Miranda Huff — December 28, 2009 @ 11:41 am
Dominique Onere (photos), Antonino Dei Masi, Claudio Baruffaldi, B?un???a Sca?amozzì?o, Giuseppe Labate (photos), Teresa Alampi, Francesco Errigo (photos), Domenico Baldi (photos), Tiziana Borruto, Dadi Byondo, Jessica Grillo, Rudi Andrea (photos), Domenico Rosaci (photos)

Comment by Bamal Joy — January 2, 2010 @ 11:37 pm
i would like to have one

Comment by hannah anaman — January 11, 2010 @ 7:06 am
cute

Comment by Facebook User — January 11, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
i like it

Comment by Elizabeth Yusuf — February 1, 2010 @ 11:47 am
cute

Comment by Frank G. Ragadi — February 7, 2010 @ 5:20 am
Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 14, 2010 @ 3:18 pm
???? ?????. ??????..????????.?????????!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:15 am
Very nice:

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:16 am
I like me:

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:33 am
O.K

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:36 am
oh

Comment by Monisha Lee — March 3, 2010 @ 1:13 am
me gustaria tener un album de mis amigos con su horoscopos

Comment by cecilia robles jaque — March 14, 2010 @ 2:56 pm
quiero mi signo es sagitario

Comment by Cecilia Robles Jaque — March 14, 2010 @ 3:00 pm
geral

Comment by Geral M Uñoz — March 19, 2010 @ 9:58 pm
I am an aries and i want to create my own zodiac friend photo that will be in my photo album

Comment by Corliss J — March 30, 2010 @ 6:14 am
gemminis

Comment by Kerly Rodriguez — April 1, 2010 @ 11:11 am
geminis

Comment by Kerly Rodriguez — April 1, 2010 @ 11:12 am
A.selam

Comment by Deaf I?itme — April 4, 2010 @ 4:19 am
please i love to have my zodiac in my album. my zodac is LEO.

Comment by Eniola Opakunle — April 22, 2010 @ 8:57 am
I ve been trying to create my own zodiac album but no luck. Am an Arian.

Comment by Olubukola Ogunrinde — April 29, 2010 @ 3:31 am
i want a zodiac album on my page too but it's not working im a virgo

Comment by DeAndre Phillips — April 29, 2010 @ 8:36 pm
Yea. i agree with the staff of face book.
keep on the good job.u know, love all but trust known.

Comment by A. Collins — April 30, 2010 @ 12:32 pm
I am proud to be a capricorn!

Comment by katie — May 7, 2010 @ 2:49 pm
good

Comment by Syed Farrukh Ali — May 8, 2010 @ 11:22 pm
i am debeck

Comment by Debeck Sam Linko — May 9, 2010 @ 8:43 am
i am proud

Comment by Debeck Sam Linko — May 9, 2010 @ 8:44 am
ok

Comment by Debeck Sam Linko — May 9, 2010 @ 8:45 am
dewi lestari,atika kustani,bagas herman landeng,sandi juliet,ibnu scrapbu.

Comment by dewi lestari — May 11, 2010 @ 3:52 am
leo

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 3:56 am
dewi lestari,atika kustanti,bagas herman landeng,sandi juliet,ibnu scrapbu.

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 3:59 am
atika kustanti

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:02 am
ibnu scrapbu

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:03 am
sandi juliet

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:04 am
bagas herman landang

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:05 am
yuli yanti

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:06 am
f_b_i_2012@hotmail.com

Comment by Mhde Go — May 25, 2010 @ 5:42 am
i am a pisces how can i make my own friends zodiac photos album

Comment by crystal — May 26, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
this is facebook and we er capebale of anything.

Comment by Clement Terlumun Ory — June 8, 2010 @ 10:42 am
i'm virgo.

Comment by Clement Terlumun Ory — June 8, 2010 @ 10:43 am
is good

Comment by Simo Camir — June 13, 2010 @ 9:36 am
is good
we all love you

Comment by Simo Camir — June 13, 2010 @ 9:40 am
i'm gemini .can u tell how can i make my own friends zodiac photo album

Comment by meenakshi mulinti — June 30, 2010 @ 6:11 am
i want my own zodiac photp album Libra

Comment by shandra wade stewart — July 16, 2010 @ 7:11 am
I'm gemini,pls i want my own zodiac photo album

Comment by Doyin Giwa — July 19, 2010 @ 5:07 am
HOW DO I MAKE MY OWN VIRGO ZODIAC PHOTO ALBUM

Comment by VONDRIA JEFFERSON — July 29, 2010 @ 4:16 am
how do i make my own pisces zodiac photo album

Comment by Adetayo Adenekan — August 18, 2010 @ 3:24 am
iam a saggitarius,how can i add information about my zodiac on my face book profile.pls u can contact me on face bookvia the name…Rose yahaya kuku,or via Email…realroza@yahoo.com

Comment by Rose Yahaya Kuku — August 20, 2010 @ 5:15 am
I don't see the application. I see tags, but no information on how to create zodiac collage. Is it that you create it and what?

Comment by Peanutbutterbrown — August 25, 2010 @ 11:19 pm
How do I make my own scorpio zodiac and my facebook friends zodiac. I allowed the application, but do not see it. I see the tags, but no information on how to create the zodiac. Is it that you create it or what? I found it on one of my facebook friends photos and love the layout/collage. Waiting on reply!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Peanutbutterbrown Th — August 25, 2010 @ 11:34 pm
pls help me out

i love the way the picture is being plced

Comment by orlawale — August 30, 2010 @ 6:24 pm
how i can make a ARIES AND PUT IT IN MY FACEBOOK?

Comment by Kristina Rouhos — September 4, 2010 @ 9:12 am
hello

Comment by wawa lau — January 17, 2011 @ 6:14 am
hey how you doing all of ya

Comment by Hayat — March 19, 2011 @ 11:01 pm
this application is a direct violation of US Copyrightas it is now "Stealing" images that are personal Intellectual Property by by-passing facebooks security protocols.

Comment by RB Davis — June 15, 2011 @ 1:10 pm
My named is Tressie yang

Comment by Tressie Yang — August 3, 2011 @ 9:35 pm
My horoscope is Capricorn

Comment by Tressie Yang — August 3, 2011 @ 9:37 pm
wow from this post I get good info again

Comment by Rainforest — November 30, 2011 @ 2:37 am

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Hope they crack down on crap like this. creates too much noise on the network… uggh

John

@jobrieniii

Comment by Facebook User — September 16, 2009 @ 2:09 pm

Nick– I saw earlier today that your Facebook page was overtaken by the Pisces monster… I hope they'll put a stop to this crazy nonsense! Ridiculous!

Comment by Megan — September 16, 2009 @ 2:13 pm

I totally agree and have this spam coming in from all my friends – most of my "Highlights" bar is this crap (friend.ly and various copy cats).

I don't care if it's against anything within the TOC, or not – this is underhanded and playing on the trusting nature of honest people.

It destroys the environment for future developers and their applications by reducing the trust users had. So, the next time my app pops up an "Allow Authorization" dialog, will the user trust my app enough to allow access? Even if the access I am requesting is 100% benevolent?

Comment by Dean Higginbotham — September 16, 2009 @ 2:15 pm

You guys don't understand. This application is immensely clever, and all of its million of users are supporting it because they understand this merit.

This is nothing like the useless junk that permeates Facebook. This is the future of social networking, allowing people to come together with an ease and efficiency that leaves previous forms of communication behind in the dust.

I understand your initial trepidation, but the same thing happens with every big paradigm shift. I wonder how many one star votes Facebook's newsfeed would have gotten if users could vote. This is the future. Learn to love it.

Comment by Alex — September 16, 2009 @ 2:23 pm

I notice that friend.ly doesn't appear in any application search results within FaceBook. So how do I block it? how do I hide it?

I'm not going to 'learn to love it' unless I'm given the choice whether I want to see it or not.

Comment by weez — September 16, 2009 @ 5:55 pm

Alex…just wondering what vested interest you have in spreading that party line propaganda, hmmm?

Comment by Cathy Gould — September 17, 2009 @ 1:09 am

Friend.ly has another one out there. Something that starts with longest and shortest name in your list. Sounds like they have a small army of programers creating new apps every day.

Comment by Crickett — September 17, 2009 @ 5:43 am

http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Add...

"The sending of a user-to-user notification, and its content, must be expected by the sending user. If the information contained in the notification would not otherwise be available to the recipient via Facebook, the user who is the subject of the notification must provide explicit consent to the content of the notification. "

This app is DEFINITELY violating facebook guidelines.

Comment by Mike Sherov — September 17, 2009 @ 5:43 am

quierohacer algo en esta pagina para monatar fostos en el facebook

Comment by jeancarlos — September 17, 2009 @ 6:16 am

Yeah these apps are dreadful. Contrast with an app like this one:

http://apps.facebook.com/sillystatus/tags.php

where you actually get to customise the image, and YOU choose who to tag instead of having it done randomly by the app…

Comment by Pete Gravell — September 17, 2009 @ 6:43 am

Is there a way to stop these apps from tagging you?

Comment by Kaysha Edward MrShad — September 17, 2009 @ 8:22 am

These apps are sooooooo annoying… When they appear in your tagged photo albums just remove the tag by your name and they will disappear from your photos….

Comment by Meredith — September 17, 2009 @ 9:26 am

I hate this Zodiac Friends thing. Already blocked a couple of friends in order to stop it.

Comment by EJ Hill — September 17, 2009 @ 9:48 am

wanna make it i don’t know how

Comment by Hiral Patel — September 17, 2009 @ 3:26 pm

am new tell me how to use this

Comment by Joyce Adhiambo — September 17, 2009 @ 3:46 pm

does anyone know how to find the Profile page for the Zodiac app?

i've found the others and blocked them, but when i look at the Friend.ly Zodiac picture that friends have been tagged in, it only lists a site off of Facebook… i don't know if that's a violation, but it seems they should have to list their Facebook page…

also, is there way to prevent being tagged?

if we've opted out of the facebook API (go to Privacy Settings, then to Applications, then choose the SETTINGS tab, you'll have to drop all apps to be able to check the Do Not share option) will that stop it? thank you

Comment by tierre — September 17, 2009 @ 7:57 pm

I was totally dismayed at the number of similar apps and especially the way it blitzed the highlights preventing sight of original photographs and sets but also choking profile and history logs of what people are actually up to. The attraction of this app to the majority is solely that it requires no effort or imagination whatsoever.

This, like so many features of Facbook, crushes individuality and creativity and you needn’t hold your breath that Facebook will put a stop to this- they want to encourage it because the mindset is increase membership and traffic to generate advertising revenue. That is the sole purpose of Facebook – it is no longer the extension of global altruism enabling peers to communicate as it was first envisaged.

Highlights is already a bizarre feature as there seems no logic to what gets to be in them.

The explanation is simple just as there are a whole range of apps that require no thought, effort or originality, quizzes, Farmville , what kind of ***** am I? ( Did you need to ask?? !!!! and are we bothered? Facebook chief appeal is that it costs nothing and provides one of many forums for kids who really have nothing of any worth or depth to communicate and use the place as a boredom breaker. Otherwise they’d just use their phones and text and see it as an extension of games consoles and the virtual worlds they like to hang out in while they find a life of their own.

So much of what is written is of no interest whatsoever to anyone other than a person or persons that an individual knows. But why don’t they stick to texting ? That won’t do as they want to be noticed. Facebook at least offers the prospect of more attention from a greater number of people regardless of whether they have any interest in you , what you do or have to say. Vanity ?

The ad pane top right enables the member to “vote” but when you do, an endless stream of other ads pop up. If only it were possible to hide any item in Highlights that was of no interest and wouldn’t it also be cool if all that dross , the quizzes, the ‘these are my top ten this and that ‘ could be opted out of so you could genuinely customize what you saw in the history stream or what communication appeared on your profile.

I’d be happy to see Facebook going the way that Fotolog went with tiers of membership where people pay in to be able to tailor the interface and customise it so that ads and all this mindless pointless apps never trouble you. Mercifully Facebook hasn’t been destroyed in the way that Fotolog has been- the latter having been flooded by a massive tidal wave of South American teen spammers.

Comment by john coxon — September 18, 2009 @ 4:11 am

The app has been removed by facebook, another note is to never allow a site such as access your facebook by pressing the connect button it's just bad practice

Comment by Christopher — September 18, 2009 @ 5:43 am

I believe I was a victum of a virus transmitted through a person requesting to be a friend on facebook. If you don't know the person do not respond to them.

Comment by shay miller — September 18, 2009 @ 5:55 am

I think it is a virus that is messing up my Facebook page by randomly changing my status and profile pic. Just me?

Comment by Terrence — September 18, 2009 @ 6:49 am

Bitch, bitch, bitch. I swear if I read one more article complaining about a facebook app I’m going to lose it (more than normal).

Comment by Shane — September 18, 2009 @ 9:50 am

it's good but dangerous

Comment by kemelayefa — September 18, 2009 @ 5:55 pm

You need to send EMAIL to

abuse@facebook.com

and write the following:

Hi,

I have been victim of harassment for many days now by many unauthorized posts to my wall by this application from "friend.ly/zodiac".

I have searched for "zodiac friend", "zodiac", or "zodiac friend photos" in facebook (with selection of application on the left hand side). Even "friend.ly" or "friend.ly/zodiac", and I get " no result ".

yet, this is in facebook's etiquette:

"To block an application, go to the Application Directory and find the application you wish to block. Once found, click on the picture for the application to see its About page. On the About page you will have the option to "Block this Application" on the right side of the screen. "

This application is going against the facebook platform policy.

Please remove and block all access to it immediately. I expect you will abide by your own policy. I expect nothing less.

Regards,

Comment by Francis — September 19, 2009 @ 12:55 am

the app was disabled!

Comment by Asdrúbal Iv&a — September 19, 2009 @ 12:11 pm

Me gustaria saber como hago para crear el album de fotos del zodiaco

Comment by Mildred Machado — September 19, 2009 @ 5:09 pm

I don't think it has been disabled…I got tagged again today. There's so many of these running rampant now. Another one to watch out for is Fan Check. I don't know if it's still active but it was two weeks ago.

Comment by SpYke! — September 19, 2009 @ 5:13 pm

Please joing the FB group “We are sick of nuisance apps and Facebook must ban them NOW!!!” http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133244678018&ref=mf and hopefully we can get these intrusive apps banned. Thanks!

Comment by sunline — September 19, 2009 @ 9:33 pm

pues que es super bacano

Comment by tania navarro serran — September 20, 2009 @ 5:17 am

la mas linda

Comment by tania navarro serrano — September 20, 2009 @ 9:16 am

my friends zodiac signs

Comment by Victoria Owolabi — September 20, 2009 @ 3:19 pm

how are u

Comment by Victoria Owolabi — September 20, 2009 @ 7:19 pm

love u all

Comment by Victoria Owolabi — September 20, 2009 @ 7:20 pm

hiii happy eid for all people

Comment by Mrwa Nagash — September 22, 2009 @ 7:37 am

ow do i go about it? ehn?!

Comment by Brian Etim — September 28, 2009 @ 1:26 pm

I need details of the way out

Comment by Adebiyi T. Elijah — September 30, 2009 @ 5:16 am

connect me to scorpion zodiac

Comment by ibro — October 4, 2009 @ 10:37 pm

i am a taurus and i want to create my own zodiac friend photo that will be in my photo album

Comment by chukwunenye Enemmo — October 13, 2009 @ 11:17 pm

post to my wall my own zodiac friend photo

Comment by Chukwunenye Enemmo — October 13, 2009 @ 11:22 pm

this is us

Comment by Antoinette Moore — October 14, 2009 @ 2:10 pm

i am a leo and i want to create my own zodiac friend photo that will be in my photo album

Comment by Aghaizu Stephen Ikec — October 16, 2009 @ 3:42 am

all my friends

Comment by Abdou -garcia — October 18, 2009 @ 2:15 pm

yo quiero hacer puedo si o no

Comment by Yissella Susana Ossandon Mora — October 20, 2009 @ 7:29 pm

quiero hacer uno y no se como

Comment by Karolay Alejandra Agamez — October 27, 2009 @ 5:01 pm

imy zodiac is aquarius ……….

Comment by adinda mutiara — November 1, 2009 @ 4:23 am

super la aplicacion

Comment by Nom Atti — November 1, 2009 @ 12:47 pm

Comment by Ousman Mahamat Zene — November 6, 2009 @ 4:32 pm

my zodiac is leo

Comment by Saimir Dine — November 9, 2009 @ 11:42 pm

aries

Comment by Luisa Perez — November 16, 2009 @ 11:47 am

MY ZODIAC SIGN IS PISCES

Comment by Janine Fredericks — November 24, 2009 @ 3:40 am

cancer

Comment by Andre Walker — November 26, 2009 @ 7:28 am

Holaaaaaaaaaaa Porque no Ahy nada en español??

Comment by José Ponce Br — November 28, 2009 @ 4:42 pm

Am a libra can u create my zodiac friends photo album pls.

Comment by modupeola owolabi — December 4, 2009 @ 3:35 pm

how can i get the friend.ly zodiac so i could but everybody on my pic

Comment by Lucy Garcia — December 5, 2009 @ 6:38 am

i am leo

HEY DNT KNOW OW 2 USE DIS I NID UR ASSISTANCE U CAN COACH ME THROUGH DIS MAIL JAYELL60@ROCKETMAIL.COM

Comment by Adediran Jesulayomi — December 9, 2009 @ 5:25 pm

please coache me through the email address above i want know how to use the zodiac friendly and i need ur assistance

Comment by Blessing — December 10, 2009 @ 3:37 am

We want to know why can't we add that app and why can't upload the zodic appear when we set it up on our album

Comment by Shauntina & Antw — December 12, 2009 @ 5:18 pm

Virgo

Comment by Tara Scavone — December 17, 2009 @ 2:42 pm

just checking the site

Comment by Lazaro Santiago — December 24, 2009 @ 12:11 pm

Como se crea una foto de zodiiakO el q me quiera ayudar contacteme a estas vias:

facebook: Paola Gomez

SI ERES DE Venezuela contactame a este numero 0426-450-01-74 si la explicacion me la envias via telefonica

Correo electronico: elcaramelitodemani@hotmail.com

Comment by Paola — December 26, 2009 @ 1:46 pm

we all love you

Comment by ilyaas056 — December 26, 2009 @ 8:26 pm

i like it. it brings personality to people page. it upgrades you.

Comment by Miranda Huff — December 28, 2009 @ 11:41 am

Dominique Onere (photos), Antonino Dei Masi, Claudio Baruffaldi, B?un???a Sca?amozzì?o, Giuseppe Labate (photos), Teresa Alampi, Francesco Errigo (photos), Domenico Baldi (photos), Tiziana Borruto, Dadi Byondo, Jessica Grillo, Rudi Andrea (photos), Domenico Rosaci (photos)

Comment by Bamal Joy — January 2, 2010 @ 11:37 pm

i would like to have one

Comment by hannah anaman — January 11, 2010 @ 7:06 am

cute

Comment by Facebook User — January 11, 2010 @ 3:42 pm

i like it

Comment by Elizabeth Yusuf — February 1, 2010 @ 11:47 am

Comment by Frank G. Ragadi — February 7, 2010 @ 5:20 am

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 14, 2010 @ 3:18 pm

???? ?????. ??????..????????.?????????!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:15 am

Very nice:

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:16 am

I like me:

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:33 am

O.K

Comment by Aliki Savvopoulou — February 25, 2010 @ 9:36 am

Comment by Monisha Lee — March 3, 2010 @ 1:13 am

me gustaria tener un album de mis amigos con su horoscopos

Comment by cecilia robles jaque — March 14, 2010 @ 2:56 pm

quiero mi signo es sagitario

Comment by Cecilia Robles Jaque — March 14, 2010 @ 3:00 pm

geral

Comment by Geral M Uñoz — March 19, 2010 @ 9:58 pm

I am an aries and i want to create my own zodiac friend photo that will be in my photo album

Comment by Corliss J — March 30, 2010 @ 6:14 am

gemminis

Comment by Kerly Rodriguez — April 1, 2010 @ 11:11 am

geminis

Comment by Kerly Rodriguez — April 1, 2010 @ 11:12 am

A.selam

Comment by Deaf I?itme — April 4, 2010 @ 4:19 am

please i love to have my zodiac in my album. my zodac is LEO.

Comment by Eniola Opakunle — April 22, 2010 @ 8:57 am

I ve been trying to create my own zodiac album but no luck. Am an Arian.

Comment by Olubukola Ogunrinde — April 29, 2010 @ 3:31 am

i want a zodiac album on my page too but it's not working im a virgo

Comment by DeAndre Phillips — April 29, 2010 @ 8:36 pm

Yea. i agree with the staff of face book.
keep on the good job.u know, love all but trust known.

Comment by A. Collins — April 30, 2010 @ 12:32 pm

I am proud to be a capricorn!

Comment by katie — May 7, 2010 @ 2:49 pm

good

Comment by Syed Farrukh Ali — May 8, 2010 @ 11:22 pm

i am debeck

Comment by Debeck Sam Linko — May 9, 2010 @ 8:43 am

i am proud

Comment by Debeck Sam Linko — May 9, 2010 @ 8:44 am

Comment by Debeck Sam Linko — May 9, 2010 @ 8:45 am

dewi lestari,atika kustani,bagas herman landeng,sandi juliet,ibnu scrapbu.

Comment by dewi lestari — May 11, 2010 @ 3:52 am

leo

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 3:56 am

dewi lestari,atika kustanti,bagas herman landeng,sandi juliet,ibnu scrapbu.

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 3:59 am

atika kustanti

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:02 am

ibnu scrapbu

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:03 am

sandi juliet

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:04 am

bagas herman landang

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:05 am

yuli yanti

Comment by Dewi ????????... — May 11, 2010 @ 4:06 am

f_b_i_2012@hotmail.com

Comment by Mhde Go — May 25, 2010 @ 5:42 am

i am a pisces how can i make my own friends zodiac photos album

Comment by crystal — May 26, 2010 @ 6:25 pm

this is facebook and we er capebale of anything.

Comment by Clement Terlumun Ory — June 8, 2010 @ 10:42 am

i'm virgo.

Comment by Clement Terlumun Ory — June 8, 2010 @ 10:43 am

is good

Comment by Simo Camir — June 13, 2010 @ 9:36 am

is good
we all love you

Comment by Simo Camir — June 13, 2010 @ 9:40 am

i'm gemini .can u tell how can i make my own friends zodiac photo album

Comment by meenakshi mulinti — June 30, 2010 @ 6:11 am

i want my own zodiac photp album Libra

Comment by shandra wade stewart — July 16, 2010 @ 7:11 am

I'm gemini,pls i want my own zodiac photo album

Comment by Doyin Giwa — July 19, 2010 @ 5:07 am

HOW DO I MAKE MY OWN VIRGO ZODIAC PHOTO ALBUM

Comment by VONDRIA JEFFERSON — July 29, 2010 @ 4:16 am

how do i make my own pisces zodiac photo album

Comment by Adetayo Adenekan — August 18, 2010 @ 3:24 am

iam a saggitarius,how can i add information about my zodiac on my face book profile.pls u can contact me on face bookvia the name…Rose yahaya kuku,or via Email…realroza@yahoo.com

Comment by Rose Yahaya Kuku — August 20, 2010 @ 5:15 am

I don't see the application. I see tags, but no information on how to create zodiac collage. Is it that you create it and what?

Comment by Peanutbutterbrown — August 25, 2010 @ 11:19 pm

How do I make my own scorpio zodiac and my facebook friends zodiac. I allowed the application, but do not see it. I see the tags, but no information on how to create the zodiac. Is it that you create it or what? I found it on one of my facebook friends photos and love the layout/collage. Waiting on reply!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Peanutbutterbrown Th — August 25, 2010 @ 11:34 pm

pls help me out

i love the way the picture is being plced

Comment by orlawale — August 30, 2010 @ 6:24 pm

how i can make a ARIES AND PUT IT IN MY FACEBOOK?

Comment by Kristina Rouhos — September 4, 2010 @ 9:12 am

hello

Comment by wawa lau — January 17, 2011 @ 6:14 am

hey how you doing all of ya

Comment by Hayat — March 19, 2011 @ 11:01 pm

this application is a direct violation of US Copyrightas it is now "Stealing" images that are personal Intellectual Property by by-passing facebooks security protocols.

Friend.ly Photo App Spreading Through Facebook Like A Virus

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