Earlier quoted context omitted.
On facebook you can release any app without approval. The only time you need approval is to be added to their app directory. I don't think facebook ever bans apps without a tos violation.
So is consensus that the RockYou app disabling was legit? The power to ban for a ToS violation still seems strong -- this isn't something Microsoft or Apple (or any Linux distro) has on the desktop, right?
It's strong, but as a developer I'm ok with it. I know going in what the ToS are. I know what I'm getting into. There's certainly a tradeoff there still, because on one hand, there's some form of editorial control (unlike Windows or OSX), but on the other hand, it's as close to transparent as possible, and is there mainly to preserve quality.
I look at it kind of like the salary cap in the NFL. On one hand, it means some players aren't making as much as they would be if it were lifted a week ago. On the other hand, it means all players are making far more than they would if it were lifted a decade ago.