Following yesterday’s Graph API update, Facebook has just launched a new Notifications API in beta which allows 3rd parties to send users a custom notification at any time.
More than anything else, this API brings unprecedented potential for apps and services to connect directly with users. Simultaneously, it also opens up the door for abuse, as the social giant’s notification system is already flooded with internal activity.
Facebook knows there’s a major possibility that 3rd party notifications will anger users to no end when over-used, and so to curb this, the company is encouraging developers to be “mindful of the language [they] use and the frequency at which [they] send them.”
Facebook states that “notifications are a powerful way to communicate with users, but require good judgment.”
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Here’s the best part about this for 3rd parties (and possibly the worst part for users), these new notifications wont require additional permissions. That means, once you’ve integrated with the API, you can immediately get started. With this in mind, however, Facebook reminds us that users are in control of the notifications they receive. The problem for us is that accepting and declining notifications must be done manually (unless you opt-out entirely).
As you’d expect, the success and failure of each app or service’s notifications can be monitored. Facebook has introduced a new section under the Traffic tab listed as Notifications in the Insights Dashboard.
Keep in mind, Facebook has already released a new API earlier this month, allowing developers to determine who is eligible for in-game promotions. The success of Facebook is closely tied to its success as a platform, and so it’s important to watch as its developer offerings evolve over time.
Learn more about the new Notifications API here.
Featured image: Donna Benjamin
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