Facebook quietly re-launches applications for the group platform after locking – BusinessGhana News



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Facebook becomes a market for business applications that help group administrators manage their communities.

To protect themselves and their users from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook has locked the Google Groups API to create apps for Google Groups. These applications had to go through a revised human approval process, and lost access to the lists of group members, plus the names and profile pictures of the people who posted them. Now, the approved applications of groups reappear on Facebook, accessible to administrators via a new Facebook application browser that allows the platform to control discoverability.

Facebook has confirmed the new Google Apps browser after our survey, saying to TechCrunch: "re seeing today is linked to the changes announced in April that require developers to go through an app review process." up to date in order to use the groups API. In this context, some developers who have followed the review process can now access the Groups API. "

Facebook would not comment further, but this help center article explains how groups can now add applications Matt Navarra first spotted the new Groups option and informed us: Previously, administrators needed to find group management tools outside of Facebook, and then use their connected Facebook account to allow the app to access their group's data.

Groups are often a work of love for the administrators – commitment to the social network – which is why the company has recently started testing the Facebook Groups subscriptions that allow administrators to charge a monthly fee. good set of approved partners, the platform offers the group's administrators some of the capabilities usually reserved for big brands and companies that pay for business tools to manage their online presence. engaging, generating more time on the site and user views. It also positions Facebook as a natural home for advertising campaigns promoting various business tools. And one day, Facebook could potentially try to act more formally as an App Store group and try to take a cut from the software subscription fees as a service billed by the tool makers.

Facebook can not build all the tools may need, so in 2010, he launched the Groups API to get outside help. Moderation of comments, collection of analytical data, and publication of pre-formatted content were some of the popular features of Facebook Groups applications. But in April, he quit the use of the API, announcing that "there is information about people and conversations in groups that we want to make sure that they are better protected. From now on, any third-party applications using the Google Groups API will need the approval of Facebook and an administrator to ensure that they benefit the group.

Applications that have received the necessary approval now appear in this browser. It is available to administrators through their Group Settings page. The application browser allows them to choose from a selection of tools such as Buffer and Sendible to program messages in their group, and others to manage commercial messages.

Facebook is still trying to ban the windows of its platform, making sure that it does not appear. There are more easy ways to massively extract sensitive data from users. Yesterday he removed more APIs and standalone applications in what appears to be an attempt to streamline the platform so that there is less risk and more staff to focus on safeguarding the most popular and powerful parts of its offer. The scandal of Analytica has somewhat diminished, Facebook's share price is recovering and user growth is now at the usual levels. However, a new Washington Post report indicates that the FBI, FTC and SEC will investigate Facebook, Cambridge Analytica and the testimony of social network leaders in Congress. Facebook surely wants to come back to focus on the product, not on politics, but must take it slowly and steadily. There are too many eyes on it to move fast or break anything.

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