Facebook Requires Social Fixer Browser Extension to Remove Features

Re:Facebook Requires Social Fixer Browser Extension to Remov... by jrockway on Sunday October 06, 2013 @08:48PM (#6506053)

I'm not a lawyer, but the ToS says you may not interfere with the rendering of the page, but it doesn't say that you may not provide software that interferes with the rendering of the page. Anyone with a pair of scissors, a microwave oven, or black piece of paper could interfere with the rendering of Facebook for a particular user, but I doubt the ToS applies to them. Not to mention browser bugs, or OS bugs, or video driver bugs.

I think this is too broad to be meaningful. I sort of get what they're getting at ("don't post broken Javascript that fucks up the page for everyone"), but it's not what they wrote. What they wrote is laughable.

All I can say is: I hope you prevail in your battle. Content creators have absolutely no right to tell users how to render the HTML they deliver; the HTML is advisory, not mandatory. If you want to control rendering, buy a billboard.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Facebook Requires Social Fixer Browser Extension to Remov... by JacobJans on Sunday October 06, 2013 @11:04PM (#6506346)

Actually, content creators get to ask you to agree to a "Terms of Service" that gives you access to that content. If you don't like the terms of service, you could say they are "laughable," but that doesn't mean they don't exist, or have a specific meaning.

It seems very clear to me that a page that promotes the removal of Facebook ads, via its software, fits squarely in violation of the agreement.

Facebook seems very reasonable in this -- they're giving him a second chance, after blatantly violating the terms of service. And yes, it is blatant. Anyone who thinks that removing Facebook's ads are compliant with the Terms of Service is living in the world they wish exists, and not the one that actually does.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Facebook Requires Social Fixer Browser Extension to Remov... by mattkruse on Monday October 07, 2013 @01:08AM (#6506593)

Removal of ads isn't even something I "advertise" as a feature. It's a side-effect of being able to remove anything you want from the UI.

And if they have a problem with that, surely they would have sued AdBlock Plus by now. Right?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Facebook Requires Social Fixer Browser Extension to Remov... by alextingle on Monday October 07, 2013 @06:00AM (#6507280)

As far as I can tell, they haven't sued you either. In fact, I don't think you've even received a letter from their lawyers. All that's happened is that someone at FB had threatened you.

Personally, I think they're full of it. I'd at least wait until you get an actual letter from their lawyers before making any decisions.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Facebook Requires Social Fixer Browser Extension to Remov... by fphhotchips on Monday October 07, 2013 @09:47AM (#6508165)

And any browser with developer tools...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Facebook Requires Social Fixer Browser Extension to Remov... by mattkruse on Monday October 07, 2013 @01:08AM (#6506590)

Agreed - I think the ToS is pretty clearly targetting people who alter the display of the site for OTHERS, not themselves. Malware, DoS attacks, etc.

If they apply this rule to individuals who alter the way the site appears to them, they are opening a can of worms. There is no way they consistently enforce this.

[ Parent | on HN ]