
Facebook's Lookback - _samjarman
https://www.facebook.com/lookback
======
yellowbkpk
This is a lot like Google's auto-awesome videos they came out with last year.
On New Year's Eve I got a push notification from Google+ on my Android phone
that said something like "Happy New Year!" and when I touched it I got a video
that showed an auto-curated video of stuff that happened in 2013 based on my
videos and pictures that auto-upload to G+. Pretty well done -- I showed it to
my family and they were impressed.

After I saw the version they made for me, it let me pick the background music
and re-rendered it to match the music I picked.

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quarterto
Wow. I found this rather poignant. I've been on Facebook for 6 years, and it
struck me that most of the events it picked out were closer to the start of
those 6 years than the present.

~~~
nmeofthestate
I found it funny, because of the mismatch between the "this is supposed to
feel poignant" style of background music and the completely-lacking-in-
poignancy material I tend to post on Facebook.

~~~
terabytest
I was laughing almost all throughout.

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k-mcgrady
Nicely done - kind of made me realise how unimportant a lot of the stuff I
post on Facebook is though! The photos were nice to see but all but one of the
status updates were dumb things that only had relevance the day they were
posted and had no lasting nostalgic value.

I'm guessing this was quite a technical challenge to produce a 1 minute HD
video for every user on Facebook and have them all available today.

~~~
onion2k
If you have important, meaningful things to say, a Facebook status update is
probably the wrong platform. :)

~~~
calvin_c
I don't see why that has to be the case. My posts it showed were about a new
job I got in town, when my girlfriend got her first full-time teaching job,
the completion of a really difficult junior year. I was impressed with how
many interesting things it pulled out while avoiding drunk posts and party
pictures.

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matthuggins
Am I missing something? It's just 6 photos that I've uploaded, 4 of which are
from the past month. It looks like people here are talking about music, but
the page is not playing music in Chrome.

~~~
bbosh
Yes, mine is just a few photographs on a page. No video. I guess you need to
have a certain number of photos uploaded/tagged on Facebook to create a video,
whereas I make an effort to not upload any such content.

~~~
matthuggins
I don't think it makes a difference. I've been on Facebook since 2004 and have
about 950 photos and videos.

~~~
riffraff
what are your privacy settings? I think that is the big differentiator.

~~~
gpvos
You may be on to something. I have turned off Platform (and so no applications
work for me), and have set almost all other things to Friends only. All I get
is six recent photos.

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colinbartlett
Could someone please describe this for those of us that don't have a Facebook
account?

~~~
personlurking
Unless you are like me and self-delete posts after a day or two. Then you get
a picture of your cover photo and profile pic plus the message

"Thank you, [name]

10 years ago people started using Facebook to connect with each other in a new
way. Thanks for being a part of it.

Mark and the Facebook team"

~~~
jcutrell
That's exactly what you want, right?

~~~
personlurking
Yeah, basically. I mean, I'd prefer nothing but...

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bovermyer
As someone who doesn't participate in memes, uploads a fair number of photos,
and has been consistently on Facebook since 2006, my Lookback video was
actually pretty awesome. The music matched the flow of the content, and even
the mood of the content.

I like this. Good job, Facebook team.

~~~
mikeg8
I agree and had the same experience. Was very impressed, this is one of the
more personalized and emotional experiences a company has created for me.

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marknutter
I've been on Facebook for 9 years (apparently) and this actually did a pretty
amazing job picking out the most important moments from my life over that
period of time. It actually managed to jerk a tear from my eye as well but it
cheated by showing a picture of my mom who passed away last year. YMMV,
obviously, but for people who have been diligent about providing Facebook with
curated content from their lives this will most likely hit home for them.

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terabytest
Does anyone have any information regarding the logistics of rendering 800+
million videos like this for each user on Facebook? I'm pretty sure it's not
rendered on the fly.

~~~
shuw
I'm part of the team that built this which came from different parts of FB. I
think we'll be getting some much needed rest after today, then I hope we can
start telling the story of how we built it.

~~~
shannonmac
Will we be able to create a new video again? I deleted pics out of my album
because I forgot they were even there and then the video disappeared and all I
get is the thank you one...GREAT JOB though, what a wonderful idea. I have
enjoyed so many people's videos

~~~
mayjay23
Ok that's probably what happened to me. After I viewed the video, I deleted
some pics in my albums and I'm afraid it affected the video... and I would
actually like to request for a new video.... please? Thank you!

~~~
LeeySweet
The same as me :( theres no way to recover it?

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clienthunter
As much as it was oddly enjoyable to see my life as a 1990's British chick-
flick movie trailer, I did not relish all of the details. Like my most liked
post in 7 years having 18 likes. Or digging up photographic memories of things
long repressed.

How are they rendering these so quickly? There was no noticeable delay in the
page load. The HD version is a 4.15MB mp4, with 1.19billion active monthly
users that's 4.939PB of video to prerender. I thought perhaps they were
rendering it either in the browser and passing a bytestream to the SWF
(they're not), or starting the render on the server and streaming it down
before it completed (unlikely as the video is coming from akamai). Anyone
know?

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nimax1991
Here's the solution to get your Facebook "Lookback" Video back.

To those who have deleted a picture or post from their Timeline, in hopes of
"Editing" their "Look Back Video" you have to go into your cache and get the
original link. Here are two possible Chrome Fixes:

Type "about:cache" without " signs on your chrome search bar (provided that
you don't clear history/cache after you close your browser) You will see a
list of links on your window, just click Ctrl F or ⌘ F to and search
"lookback" in the Find searchbar Look for the link that will have something
like
[https://lookbackvideo7-a.akamaihd.net/hv..](https://lookbackvideo7-a.akamaihd.net/hv..).
and so on. Click that link. After you clicked the link, you will see on your
window a bunch of text with white background. Ignore that. LOOK AT YOUR URL
BAR. You should be able to see something like chrome://view-http-
cache/[https://lookbackvideo7-a.akamaihd.net/hv..](https://lookbackvideo7-a.akamaihd.net/hv..).
etc etc. In the long string of url, DELETE THIS PART: chrome://view-http-
cache/ then press enter. You should be able to see your video again...

You know what? I found it! I played it and I downloaded it to my computer. To
share on facebook I simply copied the url and posted it as my status. Although
it doesn't play through on facebook, it opens as a new window and plays. :)

~~~
supa
Sounds great, but I saw the video on my iphone, and shared it before
accidentally deleting it. Is there a way to get it back, even though it was on
my iphone? I am so sad to have lost that touching video! Also, why has
facebook not allowed people to regenerate it if deleted? thanks :)

~~~
rbue
Same here, help pls.

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btucker
I find it a bit funny that you can't share your video on Facebook.

~~~
csomar
Careful, the video has photos that might be restricted.

~~~
dafnap
But the sharing is per the user's privacy policy so what restriction can there
be?

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batuhanicoz
This is a very beautiful idea and it's brilliantly executed.

Kudos to people who helped making this page, it put me in a somewhat emotional
state.

Also, this reminded me another page called "Museum of Me"[1], that was nice
too.

[1]
[http://www.intel.com/museumofme/r/index.htm](http://www.intel.com/museumofme/r/index.htm)

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loomio
Great, photos of all my ex-boyfriends, in sequence, set to sentimental music.
Just what I've always wanted.

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tricky0ff
"Depending on how much content you have shared and how long you have been on
Facebook, you will either see the personalized video, a collection of photos
or a simple thank-you card, the spokesperson said.

Facebook said users will be able to share the video on their pages after 12
noon ET on Tuesday. The videos will only be available for about a month unless
you share them on your Timeline. Only you will be able to view your video if
you don’t share it."

So I guess if you don't share it the first time you watch it, you won't ever
be able to. I really enjoy the videos and it sounds like they built each one
so I appreciate that but it also sounds like a lot of people got skipped over
and they kind of dropped the ball on not being able to share past the first
view. Hopefully after they have a rest they will change that.

~~~
thegranderson
I've been on fb for 9 years, with 900+ photos and easily 500+ posts, but all I
got was 6 photos, 4 from the past month... I guess other people are a LOT more
social networky than I am.

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bharathi-priya
Awesome..I was smiling when i am seeing my lookback video, remembering the
moments.

Still i need to agree that some of my best pictures are missing in the video.

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galapago
> Sorry, this page isn't available

Do you need to be logged in?

~~~
adrianb
Yes, it's a personalized video for your profile.

~~~
mradmin
I'm logged in but still get the error, although my account has very little
activity (i only use it for dev purposes).

~~~
personlurking
See my previous comment (made a minute or two ago)
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7177239](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7177239)

I got the error, too, until I didn't and this (see link) popped up.

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scotthtaylor
This is actually pretty awesome. Good work Facebook.

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neals
Ok, yes, I post way too many cats. Way too many.

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kittykat04
I'd like to know how to make my own. Facebook should make thus a new feature.
I like it, but would have picked other Most Liked photos for example. All the
wonderful photos of my son and my family, and the Most Liked photo they fb
team picked, to stay up the longest I might add, was a picture of my cousins,
that didnt even include me

------
ratna
*

1 point by ratna 0 minutes ago | link | edit | delete

Plzzzzz accidently :'( I delet my vedio,it was accident.my lil baby was
playing with computer. I viewed the fb lookback video it wasss asesome.that
was made for me but pictures... I was wondering how I could retrieve the video
as I would like to share it? Thank you in advancc.plzzzzz help Me out :'(

~~~
awesomesong
you just make it again. :p

------
jack57
I found the handwritten Mark Zuckerberg signature a little pretentious. Maybe
that's because of The Social Network, but I don't feel like other CEO's are
using their own brand like that. It's like a fashion designer or even an
artist signing their work... My video was not THAT good.

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cliveowen
I don't see anything but a message thanking me. Even on mobile, no video
whatsoever. Why's that?

~~~
pgrote
I didn't see anything, either. There is my cover photo and a placeholder for
profile picture. At first, I thought it was an adblocking extension in Chrome,
so I tried it in vanilla firefox and saw the same thing.

Unlike others in the thread who delete everything they put on facebook, I do
not.

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dlhavema
I haven't been over-posty on facebook for a while, but my most liked posts are
the birth of my two daughters, and a picture of my older one that climbed up
on the window sill. anyone find a way to save the flash video? usually you can
view source and find it pretty easily...

~~~
lucassouza1
Using Google Chrome, you can open developer tools, click in network, then,
click in the "HD" button in player and find for mp4 file.

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MojoJolo
Awesome! I wonder how much computer power FB used to generate the videos for
all of their users.

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jmjg0949
THIS IS AWESOME!!!! I HAVE WATCHED 7 SO FAR TODAY AND I HAVE CRIED DURING 4 OF
THEM!!!! THIS IS THE EXACTLY THE REASON MY MAJOR IS IN PHOTOGRAPHY TO BRING
HAPPINESS TO PEOPLE BY SHARING THEIR HAPPIEST TIMES!!! GREAT JOB MARK AND FB
TEAM!!!!

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kellyelisa
They say in the news articles that you can tap some "edit my movie" button,
but I am unable to find any such button. Also, I don't see an option to share
the video on facebook. Can anyone give me some directions? Thanks!

~~~
LeeySweet
But where did you find your own video? I just see a couple o pictures :(

~~~
kellyelisa
do a Google search for "a look back facebook" and there will be a link in
about any article. Here's one:
[http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2014/02/04/facebook-
unveils-l...](http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2014/02/04/facebook-unveils-look-
back-new-video-product-shows-20-biggest-moments/#!uqD7b)

just click on the link and your video should pop up. I did see something in
one article that based on the content of your facebook (the quantity of your
pictures and posts) you may either see a video, a collection of photos, or
just a "thank you" note.

~~~
LeeySweet
By the way, I htink I remember theres a green button up at the right that says
share with friends, but im not sure, :(

~~~
kellyelisa
there isn't a green button on my screen. I found a link to a similar
compilation called "Year in review" and there is a green "share" button on
that, but "A look back" doesn't have it. Does anyone else have any advice?

~~~
sharonp
View ur movie over and over it will eventually produce a share your movie
button

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gardengirl6
I didn't have a share button either. I typed in this link and it worked. Hope
that helps some of you.
[https://m.facebook.com/lookback/share](https://m.facebook.com/lookback/share)

------
tredmond
Interestingly enough, I was in a relationship with my ex for pretty much all
of the last 9 years... and yet they didn't highlight a single post or picture
of her in the lookback. Can't be coincidence.

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kole
Anybody knows how to restore my lookback video once it was deleted from the
wall where I shere it? Now when I click on the Facebook/lookback link it show
me only a few photos!

~~~
nygirl
i'm having the same problem!! someone please tell me how to get the video
back!

~~~
chinabound07
You have to hit the share button in upper right hand corner the first time you
visit the page ...no going back or it won't be there

~~~
Anglhrt
I can't seem to make the new video that has just been offered on FB... I made
one earlier and posted and then deleted it from the wall because photos
wouldn't show. Now when I go to
[https://www.facebook.com/lookback/](https://www.facebook.com/lookback/) all I
see is some static pictures and a greeting that says what's on the file
attachment.. I really want to make a lookback video... can anyone help???? I
did hit the share button and then deleted from the wall.. I don't see any
video in my photo album..

~~~
shannonmac
The same has happened to me and I really want a video lol any suggestions on
how to get a video again??

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manh_ha_1995
Wow. I found this rather poignant. I've been on Facebook for 6 years, and it
struck me that most of the events it picked out were closer to the start of
those 6

------
0x0
Is this generated real time? I had some very recent posts appear and it's
impressive if they pre-generate 1.25billion .mp4 files in such a short time!

~~~
alecsmart1
I was wondering the same. Because there is no "building" or "loading". It just
plays.

~~~
tluker42010
Ya, i am on my phone using sprint's crappy 3g data that cuts out every 2 mins
and it played without buffering one bit, i get that its a 30 sec video, but
when vines or gifs dont play...

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kevando
Thanks, but I already frequently revisit my most popular posts to bask in the
glory days of old. Is Facebook not keeping track when I creep myself?

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ExpendableGuy
I laughed. At one of the song's dramatic points, it showed a picture of a fork
that you can split in half to become chop sticks.

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crisedward
I loved it, made me laugh, I need to share it!

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antjanus
Man, now I wish I hadn't deleted 2 years worth of posts/images/etc back when I
first got on.

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ranasham
Hi all .. i want to exchange specific pic , how can i do this ?? thanks for
your replying .

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dhuslin
Can you do a lookback page for a company page that you are an administrator
on?

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guelo
I've been much more impressed with Google Plus's Auto-Awesome videos.

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mexiricanmami78
I deleted mines by accident. How can i restore it back on my fb page?

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g20vic
Where can I find the song that was used in this?? I love it!!

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robodale
It's pretty lame when you only have 5 pictures on FB.

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sarastrrs
I deleted my video by accident, how do I get it back .?

~~~
ratna
Same here, :'( I delet my vedio ,i was accident.my lil baby was playing with
computer.

I viewed the fb lookback video it wasss asesome.that was made for me but
pictures... I was wondering how I could retrieve the video as I would like to
share it? Thank you in advancc.plzzzzz help Me out :'(

------
misshoneywhite
is anyone having trouble getting the video? mine simply's not generated at
all. i just find a bunch of pics, no movie, no share button.

anyone?

~~~
caroquito
I tried to watch my facebook LOOKBACK video, first of all it didn't show up
when I wanted to watch it and it threw an error message, but it was able to be
shared. That's what I did and when it appeared on my timeline it wasn't able
to be watched again, so I erased to tried it again, but when i clicked the
link it showed up 6 pics and an explanation that I am kinda inactive on
facebook, what I am not, and I used constantly since 2006. I want to watch
this beautiful gift and retrieve my video. Can you help me? I've heard people
who did it and it worked, but I did it from my windows phone internet explorer
and I don't want to make a mistake.

Thank you,

Caroquito,

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iconfinder
That is so corny.

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patsyhaggerty
My did not play...how come? Patsyhaggerty

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uitiannmuddi
my friend deleated the tha flash back now he is not able to do again what to
do?????? plz reply

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giomav13
i did what you said with cache but i can only found my friend's videos that i
have seen!!

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awesomesong
it's awesome. But what is the background song ? i really want to know it.

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Polarity
i canceled my account today.

