Facebook doesn’t like my script :(

September 16th, 2006

UPDATE: Since I no longer use Facebook and deleted my account with them, I put the code back up. Get it here: http://www.nemik.net/code/facebook-rss.zip and let me know if you like it.

Facebook decided it did not like my script for RSSing the ‘News Feed’ feature. I guess the lawyers are still on a leash to keep from ripping me to shreds.

I decided not escalate the issue further knowing that their lawyers probably could rip me to shreds and I’m not currently interested in testing their abilities in doing so.

Facebook’s e-mail:

“Hey Nemanja,


I’m an engineer at Facebook and I’m writing to ask you to please discontinue
using and providing for download your RSS script (for scraping News Feed).
We applaud your efforts at extending the use of Facebook, but unfortunately
we cannot allow automated scripts to access our site for any reason. If you
review the Terms of Service (located at http://facebook.com/terms.php) you
will see the following sentence beneath Member Conduct:“Additionally, you agree not to use automated scripts to collect information
from the Service or the Web site or for any other purpose.”We’ve disabled your account for now, but if you’ll get back to me when
you’ve removed the script (and discontinued using it) I will be happy to
re-enable your account.

We’d obviously like to resolve this without getting the lawyers involved if
possible, so please get back to me as soon as possible so our legal
department doesn’t get all fired up about this.

Thanks,

Chris Putnam
Facebook Engineer
http://facebook.com/p.php?id=13&l=7f32d95924”

So the script is no longer being hosted on my site. Thanks to all who commented on it and helped perhaps improve it.

Posted by nemik Filed in Announcements

4 Responses to “Facebook doesn’t like my script :(”

  1. Joe Says:
    September 16th, 2006 at 5:41 am

    Highschool used to be much worse when I went there :-) This is hilarious:

  2. Haha Says:
    September 30th, 2006 at 1:28 am

    These guys are retards. You cannot be held legally liable. Let them steam.

    I use scripts on facebook. if they want to sue me, let them go ahead and LOSE.

  3. Haha Says:
    September 30th, 2006 at 1:40 am

    Just to let you know, I’m writing a suite of Facebook scripts JUST BECUASE of their response to you.

    There is nothing illegal about this and I am sad to see that you caved in to their demands instead of standing your ground.

    I was just looking for a feed scraper so I could create an RSS feed out of all my friend’s updates (I cannot find such functionality within Facebook even though I have looked).

    F*ck those a**holes. They’re just a bunch of greedy losers.

  4. nemik Says:
    October 1st, 2006 at 4:48 pm

    Haha, please contact me more about this, nemik (at) nemik.net

    Perhaps we can trade code.

    Normally I would stand my ground on things like this but seeing as I had an account on there and they have all my info, it worried me. Even moreso that I live in the USA where big business rules and I doubt I could stand any chance against their lawyers.

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