Facebook updates application story publishing

Facebook recently announced changes in how a Facebook application can publish stories to a users own page. The aim of the changes is to reduce the amount of “surprise” and “confusion” that often occurs when an application automatically publishes stories on a user’s news feed for simply consuming content in an app.  Facebook is essentially increasing the threshold require for the types of content engagement that will automatically publish an update on a user’s page.

Existing Facebook applications may have to change how a user’s application activity is recorded and posted on their own wall.

Before, application developer could use his or her own mechanism to enable this feature. Now, Facebook is requiring developers to use Facebook’s own “built in actions” to enable such features. Facebook’s built in actions include “Like”, “Follow”, “Listen”,  “Read”, “Watch”.

Facebook is also changing how applications ask for permission to access a user’s data. In addition, it is updating the mechanics used to publish user’s application to their friend’s timeline.

If a brand received a notice from Facebook, it most like means their application is no longer is compliance. These brands will have to update certain aspect of code to bring their application in compliance. Once completed, Facebook asks developers to notify the new status via the application’s migration settings.

You can read more about this recent change on the Facebook Developers' blog.