So much is happening on Facebook right now, and the changes can be so overwhelming, especially if you use Facebook as a primary source of income. A few days ago, I went live to chat about the Facebook API changes. You can watch that
I understand you may be a little frustrated with the changes. Unfortunately, when we’ve got a great thing going on, there are always a few people who try to ruin it for us.
Since the election, there have been several security issues on Facebook. Now, this is a non-political, basic-facts blog post. We are not going to talk about the political side of things. Just know that there have been data breaches, credit card breaches, and much more.
Facebook Has and Always Will Be an Amazing Resource and Community
Zuckerberg recently made the brave statement that he never wanted Facebook to be used as a data harvester. He intended Facebook to be a legacy for his kids! He never expected to be in the position he is in now.
Ever since the data breaches during and after the election, Facebook has had to do some serious damage control. We have to be willing to be flexible in keeping up with these changes, so we can continue to benefit from such an incredible resource.
Facebook API Changes
The problem lies with what is called API (Application Program Interface). API is the protocol that secondary applications use to connect with Facebook. Think of Facebook as the foundation, with all the rest of the apps sitting on top of it, piggy-backing off the info that Facebook has collected.
These apps use your Facebook login info to connect you to the application so that you don’t have to set up a separate account for every single app. While this should make our lives much easier, this has also created problems as some of these apps don’t have the high level of security that they should!
Because of this, it’s recently become clear that if Facebook didn’t do something, things would fall apart! So, Facebook took a huge risk and completely shut down ALL external applications so that they could review the security protocol each one has in place.
This may seem extreme but is actually a really good idea. Now, we can be sure that our personal information is being safeguarded and protected the way it should be.
Think about it.
Whatever you share with Facebook gets shared with all the other apps as well! How many of you have given your Credit Card info to Facebook? This is why we can’t be angry that Facebook is cracking down on the API situation!
There are literally thousands of apps sitting on top of Facebook, and not all of them had the correct levels of security protocol in place. When you connect an app to your Facebook, you are giving it
What does this mean for you?
Facebook is taking up to 21 days to review application security protocols to make sure that they are safe and that your data is protected. In some cases, this may take even longer. In other cases, Facebook may not allow certain apps access again.
This is a good thing. Facebook is committed to keeping us as safe as possible out there in the digital world.
We DON’T know when 
You can STILL do business!!
We used to do business just fine without all the extra apps! As inconvenienced as we may be, we know that we can still business the old-fashioned way. Yes, it takes a little more work, yes, it’s an adjustment, but that’s life. You want your data and your clients’ data to be safe, so hang in there!
Many apps already had these security protocols in place. CinchShare is one that was ahead of the curve. HootSuite sent out an email with assurances that they are safeguarding data, and that while some functionality may be impacted, they are fully supporting our data integrity.
What you can do
You still have control of how much of your data you actually share. Make sure that you check your privacy settings on Facebook to control how Facebook can share your information. Read how here.
I’ve put together an easy to understand FAQ about the changes to Facebook. Download the Facebook Changes FAQ now.
Join the #ThinkSocial Society! We have an amazing group of entrepreneurs who are passionate about growing their businesses. This is the place where you get hands-on training every single week, covering every social platform. We release news there first, so it’s right where you want to be during this season of change.
Remember to BREATHE!! This isn’t the end of the world – just a small blip on the radar. Let’s make sure you are always thinking of alternative ways to promote your business!
