Facebook Blocks Google+ App, Google Removes Twitter From Real Time Search

An anonymous reader writes "Facebook has blocked access to Friend Exporter, a Google Chrome application that helps users import their Facebook contacts into Google's new social network — Google Plus. " Meanwhile, reader dkd903 points out that Google has been busy removing Twitter from real time search, due to a contract expiry with Twitter."

Comments

How Microsoft of Them

[causality]

"Facebook has blocked access to Friend Exporter, a Google Chrome application that helps users import their Facebook contacts into Google's new social network — Google Plus. "

Clearly Facebook is afraid to compete on the merits of its services. Isn't that the message whenever any sort of vendorlock is implemented?

I never before took Google's social network very seriously. Now that Facebook is showing fear of them, and acting so childish about it, I'm willing to reconsider that. To anyone with some sense, Facebook is providing a more stunning endorsement of Google's services than Google itself could have ever created.

Re:How Microsoft of Them

[Bloodwine77]

If Google+ is to succeed, they need to stop with the invite-only nonsense. A social network is only as strong as its user-base, and Google+ remains questionable until it has enough people on it to make it worthwhile.

Re:How Microsoft of Them

[Xest]

It all wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that Facebook built up it's userbase around taking information from things like MSN, your e-mail contacts and so forth.

Worse, I've had a Facebook recommendation from Facebook for someone I've only ever spoken to via MSN and have no real life friend connections, and both of us are tech savvy such that neither of us let Facebook import friends from Outlook, MSN etc. and we both live at opposite ends of the country and have never met IRL so I'm still to this day a little perplexed as to how the hell Facebook made that link. It kind of implies that Facebook has had access to MSN data even when explicit permission wasn't given.

In this respect it's sheer hypocrisy, I mean what the hell is wrong with them? It's fine for them to build their business off the back of others, but not for someone else to do the same with them?

People are Facebook's product, not their customers

[Bloodwine77]

If there was any doubt as to how Facebook thinks of its users, this should drive home the fact that people are Facebook's product. It is only free if you don't value your information.

Thank you Facebook

[JanneM]

You just gave me another reason to go with Google+ and ignoring you.

Re:Thank you Facebook

[arth1]

You just gave me another reason to go with Google+ and ignoring you.

I see a reason to avoid both empires.
Yes, despite common belief, you can have an active online life without Facebook and Google.

(I switched my search provider from Google last week. After the latest "improvements", almost all search results I get are from Chinese wholesale companies and Indian ad-sponsored keyword re-bloggers, of which there appears to be millions. I.e. Google has become far less useful.)

So

[hjf]

When does the antitrust trial begin? It's like Microsoft all over again. Facebook abuses its dominant position on the internet (facebook forms in almost every "web 2.0" website, just like IE was "so tightly integrated in windows that it couldn't be removed"). And now they're also trying to destroy competition by blocking them.

In comparison, with IE you can at least download another browser. Facebook won't help you in your transition (or let you delete your stuff from their servers).

Come on, guys... you hated MS for much less than this.

Re:So

[hjf]

Really? My data is all there. They didn't steal anything from me. I can open Office documents just fine with StarOffice/OpenOffice/LibreOffice.
Also, microsoft didn't FORCE me to anything. They can't FORCE me to use Office, because there is no MS Thug behind me bullying me to use Office.

And... what the fuck is the problem with proprietary formats? If they want to use them, so be it. All of sudden every format every tool writes to MUST be open and readily available for anyone? What the fuck is wrong with you slashdotters?

Really, fanbois, your arguments are really stupid. And worst of all: you seem to prefer shitty "open" formats rather than good "closed" formats. Like, everyone is using 7z now. What a piece of shit. The compression rate is pretty good, but you need the whole file. You can't partially extract a file, what the hell? I will keep using RAR. Thank you very much.

Re:People are Facebook's product, not their custom

[thePowerOfGrayskull]

Fortunately for Facebook, ~500 million people don't value their information.

Re:People are Facebook's product, not their custom

[betterunixthanunix]

That might not matter quite as much as you think. Do you only have nonsense conversations with your contacts on Facebook? Do people only post nonsense messages on your "wall?" Do you only click on random links? Facebook collects a lot more information than what you overtly give them.

Re:And the consumer is in the middle.

[Lazy Jones]

Twitter is and Google I hope will fix this.

Last time I checked, Google was a big corporation determined to increase its revenue by all possible means, just like Facebook. If they have turned into a charity recently, I must have missed it.