Block Facebook feed pushes by idiot applications
2007-11-09 08:12 PM | 48 comments
Whoever designed the "templatized feed push" action at Facebook for developers should be put on notice. My wall today is cluttered with ridiculously inane application pushes, and most of them link back to Slide or RockYou home pages - enabling them to track people's referrers from the links. What's worse in the matter is that there doesn't seem to be any easy way to block them right from the feed.
Examples of these three-line messages:
- Someone got a new post on their FunWall.
- Someone scored higher than someone else on a quiz.
- Someone is "like" someone else.
To save you all from having the most inane actions being pushed to your wall, I'm collecting several direct links to block the most annoying and idiotic applications from finding out anything about you. Applications that you've already restricted or blocked can be found from this page. I'll update this page every time I find a new offender.
Note that these apps may not all push updates to your wall, but I'm sure you'll agree that most of them are annoying as hell. You'll still have to minimize them on your "friends'" pages, unfortunately.
Application: Likeness
What It Really Does: In an astonishing circlejerk of vanity and nepotism, apparently you're similar to someone else.
Company to Blame: RockYou
Block It: I'm like the Angry Pirate!
Application: Causes
What It Really Does: Armchair activism at its finest.
Company to Blame: Project Agape
Block It: I support not hearing about your crap!
Application: Glitter Text
What It Really Does: Cheapens the clean design of Facebook.
Company to Blame: The developer isn't visible. Perhaps they're embarrassed about their creation, or perhaps they got banned for turning the site into Bling City.
Block It: hAy GuYs ThIs Is CoOoOoL!!!!!!!!111lollerskates
Application: Top Friends
What It Really Does: Makes the site like MySpace.
Company to Blame: Slide
Block It: Tom is not my friend.
Application: SuperPoke!
What It Really Does: Lets you virtually bitch-slap people, along with many other ridiculous actions.
Company to Blame: Slide
Block It: Jake has dropkicked Slide.
Application: HOT or NOT
What It Really Does: Remember when you'd rate people on a 1-10 scale that wasn't "number of beers to drink before sleeping with this person"?
Company to Blame: HOTorNOT.com
Block It: I'm hot 'cause I'm fly. You ain't 'cause you not.
Application: Moods
What It Really Does: Brings LiveJournal to Facebook.
Company to Blame: Some jerks at Berkeley, apparently.
Block It: I'm just a kid, and my life is a nightmare / I'm just a kid, and I know that it's not fair (guess the song for mad shame!)
Application: Nicknames
What It Really Does: Nickname your friends and bring inside jokes to more than just Group Officer titles!
Company to Blame: A few Brandeis alumni. Yeah, I had to look up what the hell Brandeis was, apparently it's a college in Waltham, MA.
Block It: I bestow upon your the nickname of 'Pank'.
Application: FunWall
What It Really Does: You're one click away from having all those Flash and MP3 embeds blare out of your speakers. Also, YOOOOOOUUUUUUTUUUUUBEEEEE VIDEOZ OMG LOL!
Company to Blame: Those Slide bastards again.
Block It: There's nothing "fun" about Goatse on your profile.
New update - November 9, 2007 @8:22PM (Updated this section: trying to correct the feed. Thanks Phil.)
Application: My Christmas Tree
Company to Blame: Two people from Singapore.
Block It: I'm the Grinch!
Update 17-04-2008: Since this post was published, these applications may have changed ownership or been repurposed. If you have a concern about your application or would like to request a re-review, please mail jake at jakebillo dot com.
Comments
Jake Billo on 2007-11-09 08:36 PM (#)
Feel free to contribute your own applications here, too.
Application: Sports Bets
What It Really Does: Breeding ground for "Free iPod" scams.
Company to Blame: kickflip
Block It: I bet one million dollars I'll still have more apps to block.
Application: Sports Bets
What It Really Does: Breeding ground for "Free iPod" scams.
Company to Blame: kickflip
Block It: I bet one million dollars I'll still have more apps to block.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-09 08:41 PM (#)
Application: Compare People
What It Really Does: Seriously, is this high school or what?
Company to Blame: Chainn, Inc.
Block It: Of all my friends, you're the most like a leech.
What It Really Does: Seriously, is this high school or what?
Company to Blame: Chainn, Inc.
Block It: Of all my friends, you're the most like a leech.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-10 02:46 PM (#)
Application: Hobo Wars
What It Really Does: A web game where you pit "hobos" against each other.
Company to Blame: HellBored Pty
Block It: It's the real bum's rush.
What It Really Does: A web game where you pit "hobos" against each other.
Company to Blame: HellBored Pty
Block It: It's the real bum's rush.
Dave Lahn on 2007-11-10 04:24 PM (#)
Application: Toronto Maple Leafs Fans
What it Really Does: Make yourself look like a total ass by supporting the Leafs on your profile
Company to Blame: Watercooler
Block it: The Leafs barely even make it to the playoffs.
What it Really Does: Make yourself look like a total ass by supporting the Leafs on your profile
Company to Blame: Watercooler
Block it: The Leafs barely even make it to the playoffs.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-10 08:09 PM (#)
Jake Billo on 2007-11-10 08:22 PM (#)
Application: Likeness UNRATED
What It Really Does: In an uncensored circlejerk of vanity and nepotism, apparently you're like somebody else.
Company to Blame: RockYou
Block It: I'm like the Uncensored Angry Pirate!
This app is a particularly egregious offender because even after blocking "Likeness" I was still getting messages, and you can't easily trace the origins of the messages in your news feed.
What It Really Does: In an uncensored circlejerk of vanity and nepotism, apparently you're like somebody else.
Company to Blame: RockYou
Block It: I'm like the Uncensored Angry Pirate!
This app is a particularly egregious offender because even after blocking "Likeness" I was still getting messages, and you can't easily trace the origins of the messages in your news feed.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-10 08:43 PM (#)
Application: Skiers vs. Snowboarders
What It Really Does: Acts as a "battle" system; sort of like Zombies/Vampires.
Company to Blame: I dunno, but if anyone wants to report "Austin AustinOne" for having a fake last name, now would be the time.
Block It: Whoever wins wipes out on the hill.
What It Really Does: Acts as a "battle" system; sort of like Zombies/Vampires.
Company to Blame: I dunno, but if anyone wants to report "Austin AustinOne" for having a fake last name, now would be the time.
Block It: Whoever wins wipes out on the hill.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-11 12:38 PM (#)
Application: Super Wall
What It Really Does: RockYou's equivalent to the inanity that is FunWall.
Company to Blame: RockYou, purveyors of templatized feed pushes not linking to the application.
Block It: SupercalifragilisticBLOCKd
What It Really Does: RockYou's equivalent to the inanity that is FunWall.
Company to Blame: RockYou, purveyors of templatized feed pushes not linking to the application.
Block It: SupercalifragilisticBLOCKd
Jake Billo on 2007-11-12 01:18 PM (#)
Application: KissMe
What It Really Does: More action pushes, this time specifically for "kissing".
Company to Blame: Joel Darnauer, Eduardo Abeliuk and Chris Mocko
Block It: Go kiss the Pope's ring!
What It Really Does: More action pushes, this time specifically for "kissing".
Company to Blame: Joel Darnauer, Eduardo Abeliuk and Chris Mocko
Block It: Go kiss the Pope's ring!
Dave Lahn on 2007-11-12 05:13 PM (#)
Application: Optical Illusions Challenge
What it Really Does: Let's you stare at the screen for years trying to solve the optical illusion
Company to Blame: Fendoo, Ltd
Block it: Can you see the goat in the coffee beans?
What it Really Does: Let's you stare at the screen for years trying to solve the optical illusion
Company to Blame: Fendoo, Ltd
Block it: Can you see the goat in the coffee beans?
Dave Lahn on 2007-11-12 05:31 PM (#)
Application: PetrolHead
What it Really Does: Let's you have a car on your Facebook profile.
Company to Blame: Team Moulin
Block it: race me nowww!!
What it Really Does: Let's you have a car on your Facebook profile.
Company to Blame: Team Moulin
Block it: race me nowww!!
Jake Billo on 2007-11-12 05:49 PM (#)
Application: The Political Compass
What it Really Does: Plots you on a graph based on which way you lean.
Company to Blame: Jonathan Pagel, who's likely a furry
Block It: In Soviet Russia, app blocks you!
What it Really Does: Plots you on a graph based on which way you lean.
Company to Blame: Jonathan Pagel, who's likely a furry
Block It: In Soviet Russia, app blocks you!
Jake Billo on 2007-11-13 06:56 PM (#)
Application: TV Show Trivia
What it Really Does: Gives you points based on the number of questions you answer correctly, which are reset every week.
Company to Blame: Mesmo.TV (WEB 2.0HNO)
Block it: Jack Bauer's favourite phrase is "Damnit!"
What it Really Does: Gives you points based on the number of questions you answer correctly, which are reset every week.
Company to Blame: Mesmo.TV (WEB 2.0HNO)
Block it: Jack Bauer's favourite phrase is "Damnit!"
Jake Billo on 2007-11-13 06:59 PM (#)
Application: iLike
What It Really Does: A third party imitation of MySpace's band features.
Company to Blame: iLike, Inc.
Block it: iLike hearing actual news about my friends.
What It Really Does: A third party imitation of MySpace's band features.
Company to Blame: iLike, Inc.
Block it: iLike hearing actual news about my friends.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-13 07:01 PM (#)
Application: True or False?
What it Really Does: Answer true or false questions on your profile. Because that's apparently cool.
Company to Blame: "Macho Pink"
Block it: True or False: This app is useful and exciting. (False)
What it Really Does: Answer true or false questions on your profile. Because that's apparently cool.
Company to Blame: "Macho Pink"
Block it: True or False: This app is useful and exciting. (False)
Jake Billo on 2007-11-13 07:03 PM (#)
Application: How Much Would You Do This For?
What it Really Does: Asks a question, then you respond how much it would take for you to perform the action in said question. Which apparently doesn't work.
Company to Blame: "Macho Pink" again
Block it: Block this application? I'd do it for a nickel and a kick in the ass.
What it Really Does: Asks a question, then you respond how much it would take for you to perform the action in said question. Which apparently doesn't work.
Company to Blame: "Macho Pink" again
Block it: Block this application? I'd do it for a nickel and a kick in the ass.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-16 11:51 AM (#)
Application: My Aquarium
What it Really Does: Can't take care of a goldfish? Try a virtual octopus!
Company to Blame: Two jerks from London, Ontario. Shame on you guys, you're not representing Canada well at all.
Block it: Flush that fish down the toilet!
What it Really Does: Can't take care of a goldfish? Try a virtual octopus!
Company to Blame: Two jerks from London, Ontario. Shame on you guys, you're not representing Canada well at all.
Block it: Flush that fish down the toilet!
Jake Billo on 2007-11-16 11:56 AM (#)
Application: What Position Are You?
What it Really Does: Suggests a position from the Kama Sutra... or not.
Company to Blame: Pogostick.com
Block it: Try the Venetian Oyster!
What it Really Does: Suggests a position from the Kama Sutra... or not.
Company to Blame: Pogostick.com
Block it: Try the Venetian Oyster!
Jake Billo on 2007-11-16 11:58 AM (#)
Application: Friend Grid
What it Really Does: Another MySpace Top Friends clone.
Company to Blame: Surojit Niyogi
Block it: Two columns down, three rows over.
What it Really Does: Another MySpace Top Friends clone.
Company to Blame: Surojit Niyogi
Block it: Two columns down, three rows over.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-17 02:12 PM (#)
Application: Flirtable
What it Really Does: Puts a name to "poking".
Company to Blame: Manoj Malhotra and Nabhan El-Rahman
Block it: OMG UR SO HAWT
What it Really Does: Puts a name to "poking".
Company to Blame: Manoj Malhotra and Nabhan El-Rahman
Block it: OMG UR SO HAWT
Jake Billo on 2007-11-17 02:16 PM (#)
Application: Pink Ribbon
What it Really Does: Instead of being an armchair activist in a group, now you can do it with an application.
Company to Blame: Alex LoCasale, Justin Holland and 2 other people
Block it: Try doing charity in the real world.
What it Really Does: Instead of being an armchair activist in a group, now you can do it with an application.
Company to Blame: Alex LoCasale, Justin Holland and 2 other people
Block it: Try doing charity in the real world.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-17 05:05 PM (#)
Application: Profile Counter
What it Really Does: Puts a large ugly green button on your profile that people have to click in order for you to feel validated by a number.
Company to Blame: Some jerks without last names.
Block it: -65535 people have visited your profile.
What it Really Does: Puts a large ugly green button on your profile that people have to click in order for you to feel validated by a number.
Company to Blame: Some jerks without last names.
Block it: -65535 people have visited your profile.
Jake Billo on 2007-11-18 12:43 PM (#)
Application: We're Related
What it Really Does: Adds yet another social networking construct to Facebook for genealogical enthusiasts.
Company to Blame: FamilyLink.com
Block it: I'm your second half-cousin, four times removed.
What it Really Does: Adds yet another social networking construct to Facebook for genealogical enthusiasts.
Company to Blame: FamilyLink.com
Block it: I'm your second half-cousin, four times removed.
Add Comment
If you'd like, you can add your own comments to this post. The site owner may choose to moderate comments, so your comments may not appear immediately.
Application: Name Analyzer
What It Really Does: Picks a word based on each of the letters in your name, then tiles it in a profile box.
Company to Blame: It's an individual jerk this time. I feel for you, though, since the comments on the page are absolutely ridiculous.
Block It: B is for Blocked; that's good enough for me.