Facebook Gives Control Back to the User
It seems that Facebook is continuing to respond to many users’ overwhelming complaints with regards to Facebook Applications and the constant spam that they receive through Invites and Newsfeeds from Applications (we really don’t care that Distant Friend X’s zombie bit Even More Distant Friend’s zombie). Today Facebook announced new Application Feed Forms, that will allow developers to create new interactive Mini-feed stories through their applications, but will explicitly ask the user for permission to post the feed. Applications can also now publish new engaging News feeds involving interactions amongst friends to both friends’ feeds.
This is a win-win for everyone all around. Users gain more control over what is published in their news feed, while developers have another tool for engaging the user (and their friends) with quality interactions. Facebook gains overall by reducing the spam from annoying applications that has plagued users since the launch of the platform. I am quite impressed with how Facebook has quickly responded to user complaints while at the same time providing developers with a new tool to really engage users through their applications.
