Facebook Suspends Google Friend Connect

Facebook Suspends Google Friend Connect

Techtree News Staff, May 16, 2008 1926 hrs IST

The statement says Facebook has found out that 'Friend Connect' re-distributes user information from Facebook to other developers without users' knowledge.

Hot-on-the-heels of MySpace announcing data portability, Facebook and Google followed suit with 'Facebook Connect' and 'Friend Connect' respectively. Features with different names but essentially the same function -- to help users share their profile data on other Web sites across the Internet.

Somewhere along the way though, Facebook has developed cold feet for the Web site has now chosen to suspend Google's Friend Connect for getting access to Facebook user information. The reason seems to be the Web site's privacy policy -- going by a statement on its Developer page yesterday.

The statement says Facebook has found out that 'Friend Connect' re-distributes user information from Facebook to other developers without users' knowledge. Which goes against Facebook's privacy standards that have been hitherto strictly adhered to. The statement however adds that suspension of 'Friend Connect' is more or less temporary till such time when Google's 'Friend Connect' is made to comply with Facebook's terms of service.

The statement says Facebook has followed up with Google regarding this issue several times, and that they hope to work with Google in future in such a manner so as to allow Facebook users share their data exactly when and where they choose. All said, MySpace's data portability, Google's 'Friend Connect' and their 'Facebook Connect' could all be part of one great Internet movement, the statement concludes.