Question

I’m considering developing an app that asks users to invite friends to participate at first launch, using the Request dialog. (The Request dialog would have a prominent Skip button, in agreement with Facebook policy IV.4.)

Browsing this forum, it appears that there USED to be a “Developer Policy V.4” which, at one time, said this: “You must not prompt users to send invitations, requests, generate notifications, or use other Facebook communication channels immediately after a user allows access or returns to your application.”

I no longer see language like that in the policies available here: http://developers.facebook.com/policy/

Does this mean that prompting users to send invitations at first launch is now allowed? Or am I simply overlooking some language in the new policies that forbids this?

Answer 1

I believe this was removed intentionally, as it clearly isn’t in their updated developer policies. The only mention of that old policy I can find is here. That post also gives a good reasoning for the old policy:

When a user — whether returning or
new — visits your application, you
must allow the user to engage with
your application before asking him/her
to publish a stream story, send out
Requests, or use any other
communication channel. The intention
behind this policy is to give users
the opportunity to meaningfully
interact with an application before
being faced with the decision of
whether to communicate with friends.

The advice is still valid even if the policy is no longer in place – that you should give the user a chance to use and learn about your application before being prompted to share it. However, if you are building a game like Words With Friends where you need to play against one of your Facebook friends, then I think it would be fine (almost necessary) to invite friends right away, and this may be why Facebook removed this from their policy.

I think you will be fine if you prompt a user to send friend invites immediately, provided its not for the purpose of spamming other people to get them to use your app and that you provide a skip option.

Also, its sad that its near impossible to get a response from Facebook like you have seen with their forums.