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Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

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Re: Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

#21
Okay, so, the obvious question seems to be: if I am an affected user (I'm not, I don't do that Facebook thing personally), then wouldn't uninstalling the app prevent the deletion of photos?

The article is thin on details, does this mean it deletes photos out of your Google Photos and Apple Camera Roll apps? It seems to be written a bit FUDdy, but it is Facebook afterall, they're known to violate the social contract they have with users frequently.

Re: Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

#24
post #3

They seem to go about these things in the wrong way. Take Messenger for example, there was no good reason to remove access to this via a browser on mobile devices. I don't want to have to install an app for something that was previously available in a browser. If you can't provide me with all of the features of messenger in the browser then that's fine. I thought we were meant to be progressing towards a truly open w…

> I wonder how long that will last until people start moving away from the platform. I think we'll need a solid alternative first. What would people want in the "next Facebook" anyway? Easy contact with every old classmate, friend, and family member? A place for their photos? An easy way to invite anyone to an event? I would wait for that day, but personally my use of FB has majorly changed over the past 10 years on…

The problem isn't that we're missing a "next Facebook". There have been several from both large companies and smaller startups that offer a better Facebook than Facebook in terms of UI, features, etc.

The features are the easy part. The thing that prevents adoption of the next Facebook is that everyone is already on Facebook.

Unlike email, you can't switch your provider or roll your own and still communicate with everyone who's still using AOL or Yahoo or whatever provider you may have used in the past. If you want to communicate with Facebook users, you have to use Facebook. And for a large number of people, Facebook was the one that got them to sign up first.

Techies and early adopters will sign up and try out a new service at the drop of a hat but your 60 year old mom or your local barber or your kid's piano teacher didn't bother with MySpace or Friendster. They only even got into social networking after years of hearing about Facebook and they are unlikely to switch to anything else and learn a new setup.

Even when Facebook changes their UI slightly, these folks are the ones who flip out and complain loudly. They're the people you'd never convince to try out a Google+ or a Diaspora.

It's as if everyone who was on AOL back in the 90's could only switch to a different email and ISP if every one of their contacts switched over as well. Since that won't happen any time soon, Facebook has staying power.

I know the only reason I still check it more than once a month is that it seems to be the only common platform everyone I know is on to some degree. I'm throwing a party? Can't send a Google group calendar invite because not everyone uses Gmail/Gcal. I'm collaborating on a project for an upcoming burn-type festival? Can't do a group Hangout because not everyone in my camp uses Gmail/Hangouts.

So I have to log into Facebook daily while these things are being planned and worked on because that's the only place I can see updates and follow along with progress. It's annoying to use and I won't install Facebook/Messenger/Memories/etc on my phone so I now I have to deal with increasingly incompatible third-party apps like Metal and Tinfoil or the increasingly broken mobile web version when I'm not at the computer.

Re: Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

#26

Okay, so, the obvious question seems to be: if I am an affected user (I'm not, I don't do that Facebook thing personally), then wouldn't uninstalling the app prevent the deletion of photos? The article is thin on details, does this mean it deletes photos out of your Google Photos and Apple Camera Roll apps? It seems to be written a bit FUDdy, but it is Facebook afterall, they're known to violate the social contract t…

They will delete photos synced to their servers, and only the copies on their servers. And only photos that were synced automatically and not posted.

Most users have no reason whatsoever to worry.

Re: Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

#27
post #18
post #3

They seem to go about these things in the wrong way. Take Messenger for example, there was no good reason to remove access to this via a browser on mobile devices. I don't want to have to install an app for something that was previously available in a browser. If you can't provide me with all of the features of messenger in the browser then that's fine. I thought we were meant to be progressing towards a truly open w…

> If you can't provide me with all of the features of messenger in the browser then that's fine. And I'd also prefer if they don't try and hijack other features. I had installed Messenger, but had notifications turned off because I don't care to be interrupted every time someone sends me a new message when I'm not actively participating in the chat. Today, someone tried to call me (as in voice call), via the Messenge…

Uh, what did you expect? If you turn off notifications to an application of course you won't be notified, regardless of what communication tactics are used in the app.

That seems to be your fault for assuming otherwise. Unless there was specifically a button in the app for turning off notifications only for texts.

Re: Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

#28

I read the article before I reacted but this is a bad move for a lot of reasons: * user hostility & just doing this with messenger app. * messenger app exists as does instagram and whatsapp. You want your own ecosystem, build a phone or an OS * overplaying their hand. facebook is successful because it is a defacto standard. However, fragmenting new users by expecting them to have 4 apps (whatsapp, instagram, messenge…

> You want your own ecosystem, build a phone or an OS they tried that and it was a dismal failure.

thats my point. executing a hostile takeover of soneones phone could end poorly. im sure they calculated this, but i think they could have over estimated their leverage

Re: Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

#29
post #8
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never installed Facebook Messenger and only access facebook through a mobile browser. What functionality am I missing out on?

A recent TechCrunch article reported that the functionality that you use is going away. It's a hamfisted move. They abuse these apps to do something -- my wife tried the messenger app and discovered a noticeable loss of battery life. I think she uninstalled it within 24 hours.

For me personally, it has gone away. I used to own Moto g ( 1 gb ram version) so there was no way i could afford to have messenger and facebook app installed on my phone. I budged and installed messenger when i bought nexus 6P though.

Re: Facebook threatens to delete synced photos if users don't download new photo app

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wonder how long that will last until people start moving away from the platform. I think we'll need a solid alternative first. What would people want in the "next Facebook" anyway? Easy contact with every old classmate, friend, and family member? A place for their photos? An easy way to invite anyone to an event? I would wait for that day, but personally my use of FB has majorly changed over the past 10 years on…

I hope they won't screw WhatsApp up, since it's pretty minimalistic and nice app.

They have enabled E2E encryption, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they won't screw it up like they have everything else.
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