
Facebook users don't give a heck about apps notifications anymore - andrzejkrzywda
http://piotrzaniewicz.posterous.com/lets-face-it-facebook-users-dont-give-a-heck
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potatolicious
We stopped caring about notifications because spammy Facebook "games" poisoned
the well, and now you want to do this to requests?

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rrbrambley
This post seems to focus on requests for games that are played on the Facebook
website, but what about mobile apps? I am actually in the process of
integrating requests into my Android app and other than a bug I ran into, I
was actually pleasantly surprised by the way the request works. Since my app
is only on Android, the notifications only appear on Android devices. If you
invite people who are not using an Android device, they will never see the
notification. If the user doesn't have the app installed, the notification
will bring them to Google Play, otherwise, it will launch them into the app.
This feels a lot less spammy overall and it at least feels as though it will
be moderately effective. Anyone have any data on this?

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idoh
Yes, I work on FB apps that span multiple types of devices. You are correct in
that only android users will see the request. I don't see it working all that
well for you though, because the requestor won't know which friend uses
android. So the requestor might need to send twenty requests to hit one friend
with Android.

Obviously, it is better to have an app that spans all the devices. That way
Android users can request to iPhone, who can request to mobile web, who can
request to canvas. Personally I think it is so important to be present on all
of the devices that it is better to have slimmed down apps everywhere than one
good app somewhere.

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mparlane
I started blocking all requests from people who sent me game requests. I've
then decided I don't need apps at all and disabled them in their entirety.

If you want me to use an app on FB, I'm not part of your target market. I just
got fed up with the "Lets play jewelquest" spam.

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rhizome
I have a feeling that these apps are going to be a primary constituent of FB's
MySpace moment that I think is going to come eventually.

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andrzejkrzywda
tl;dr

Users do not accept invites to new apps anymore. Notifications can be used to
increase the retention (with give-a-life, send-a-life feature).

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idoh
This is false - there exists a class of apps where all they do is have a well
tuned requests funnel (seriously, that's all the app is), and they are alive
and well. See e.g. the MyCalendar franchise:

<http://appdata.com/apps/facebook/33699672217-birthdays>
[http://appdata.com/apps/facebook/202577393268-micalendario-c...](http://appdata.com/apps/facebook/202577393268-micalendario-
cumplea-os)

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adamokane
I'm unclear on what their API would allow, but I think that there is a huge
opportunity to present the important stuff on Facebook to users in a cleaner,
more elegant way...we've seen so many attempts at cleaning up the inbox; I'd
be interested to see someone focus on the News Feed.

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rhizome
100% bad UX, which I believe to be intentional. Un-disablable garbage that
only benefits the spammer. In fact, the chief evolutionary contribution of
Facebook to the world may only ever be new forms of spam.

~~~
untog
Un-disablable? Un-true:

<https://developers.facebook.com/docs/app_notifications/>

You can turn off notifications from any app very easily.

~~~
mparlane
<https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy> \--> Apps, Games and Websites
\--> Click "Turn off", it is purposely hidden as normal text even though it is
the blue hyperlink color it blends in quite well.

If facebook had a (physical)complaints box it would be just out of arms reach
above a large rose bush.

~~~
rbrcurtis
except doing so means that you can't use any third party apps for facebook
yourself, such as tweetdeck, other integrating social networks, etc.

~~~
mparlane
If they use oauth then I have my google account. Otherwise I'm not their
target audience.

The only things that have required me to use FB app forced login is marketing
from "free stuffz" vendors.

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factorialboy
I can hardly be bothered to check my FB anymore. No more vanity browsing for
me.

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clobber
Too bad they don't give a damn about privacy either.

~~~
clobber
Ooo, ouch! Facebookers get mad?

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timpeterson
fb suxs

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dredmorbius
Face what?

