Is Facebook Insane?
For a while Facebook has been outgrowing various Social Networks and since they released their API’s to developers they have grown leaps and bounds. I’ve enjoyed Facebook and I did think Facebook might be even able to topple Orkut in India, until I recently I read that Harry Joiner, our very own Marketing Headhunter was blocked on Facebook for uploading his Address Book!
Yes, you heard me right! Facebook has sent him a mail stating that their decision was final! But why?
I am still trying to understand if there are limits set as to an XYZ person can only have 100 friends then it must be conveyed / warned in advance. For a person like Harry, who has 4300 contacts should only benefit Facebook rather than hurt them. I also remember doing the very same on LinkedIn recently with ease.
If they thought that a user was a spammer then they should have confirmed the same before they can take action against a user. Really Insane!
As predicted, the entire Recruiting Community is now with Harry against “Facebook’s War On Recruiters”. Let me know your thoughts on this insane act!
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Sucharith,
Thanks for the coverage on this. For the benefit of your readers who don’t have time to wade through week’s worth of blog posts on this issue:
All I did was follow the instructions on the Facebook UI to invite my current contact list to join. Facebook never informed me of a limit. My understanding is that technology writer Robert Scoble has 4200 Facebook contacts — and last week, Mr. Scoble described Facebook as “the new Rolodex” and hyped its click-to-call compatibility with the iPhone.
But this is not about Robert Scoble. I can think for myself. Facebook’s email address inhaler slurped up every single Gmail address I had on file — which just happened to be 4600 and change. In the process, Facebook even served up hundreds of photos of my contacts who were already members.
Honestly, it appeared to me as if everything was cool when I hit SEND. It was only when Facebook’s customer service rep gave me the boot in a misspelled email that I realized that I had been “F’d”
If Facebook had given me a limit, I would have obeyed it. No problem. I am a member in excellent standing on several online communities and social networks.
Even as this thing continues to gather steam in the blogosphere, Facebook has remained quiet on the matter. A mistake. Moreover, Facebook customer service was incredibly resolute about the permanence of their decision — even though they never gave me a Warning or an opportunity to atone for my actions.
It was like getting an instant death penalty for speeding on an unmarked highway.
Kind regards,
Harry Joiner
MarketingHeadhunter.com
Wierd, if facebook has to impose such a restriction, why not do in when the user clicks on the send button.
I am sure a program can get a count of the selected Email ids and pop a message box if some limit is exceeded !!
@ Venu - Well said… I am sure an 8th grade can implement this for them