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Facebook Messaging Blocks Links

Posted by timothy on from the deep-packets dept.

jhigh writes "With the launch of the new Facebook messaging system designed to encourage account holders to utilize Facebook for all of their messaging needs, one would think that Facebook would recognize that it cannot continue to block content that it disagrees with. However, Wired reports that Facebook messaging, like the rest of the social networking application, continues to block links to torrents and other file sharing sites, even when users are sending messages via their facebook.com email address. Say what you want about the morality of using file sharing services to share copyrighted material, if Facebook wishes to become a player in the email market, they cannot block content."

5 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. Facebook and Content Blocking by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't engage in gross copyright infringement, nor do I share links that condone such behavior. That being said, I do offer legitimate torrents via Demonoid (legitetorrents is a crappy tracker). If I were to share a link to my legally shared content and I was blocked, or I couldn't share links to sites like Jamendo or ClearBits, I would very much be up in arms over this. Since I do not use FB messaging, I cannot say if such services are blocked.

    The article is right, though. If FB wants to seriously become a player in the online messaging world, this content blocking garbage must stop.

    --
    "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
  2. Demographics by baresi · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am more and more convinced that the type of people who are on Facebook, let alone those who actually will use messages, are not the types to know or be savvy enough for torrents and similar activities

    --
    RGdot.com
    1. Re:Demographics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I am more and more convinced that the type of people who are on Facebook, let alone those who actually will use messages, are not the types to know or be savvy enough for torrents and similar activities

      I agree. It is becoming clear that FaceBook IS INDEED the new AOL.

  3. Users have no credibility in protesting any more by Fractal+Dice · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Facebook, you shall not cross this line! No this line. Not this line. Wait ... ok, now don't cross this line.

    Sorry, but I have a hard time seeing complaints about facebook as credible any more - surely by this point they've already driven away everyone who really cares about these sorts of things.

  4. Re:Good email systems blocks content by mozumder · · Score: 5, Funny

    A BETTER email system does not place the burden upon you to decide what to block. It removes that choice from you, freeing up your time and resources.

    This system is great - it takes known spam links, and blocks the SENDER from sending it.

    Don't have to fish around spam folders wondering if you've ever missed a blocked email, because, you never got it in the first place.

    This places the burden on the few sender, not the millions of receivers.

    You really need to limit freedom to make it better. Remember, "choice" is a actually a cost. Each additional degree of freedom added to any system is one more bit of complexity, limiting its usefulness. The more complex you make a system, the less successful people are at using it.

    It is why the iPod, and Facebook (its simplicity compared to myspace) dominates the market.

    If you give people less freedom, they will be happier, since their main concern is what they practically do, not what they could theoretically do.