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I'm getting a 404 error when trying to add a Facebook Page Tab using a URL from a Squarespace hosted (using a custom domain) site.

I've followed these instructions - https://developers.facebook.com/docs/pages/tabs - and everything went fine, except when I click on the Page Tab it shows a 404 error page instead of the URL entered.

I tried the URL with and without the trailing slash, but it made no difference.

I also tried an alternative URL from a non Squarespace hosted site and that worked fine.

Are there additional steps I need to take because I'm using Squarespace?

Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo
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  • Most likely because Squarespace doesn't handle POST requests. – WizKid Aug 30 '17 at 06:15
  • @WizKid Could you explain why support for POST requests is required here? My limited understanding is that Facebook is simply displaying a webpage in an iframe. – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Aug 30 '17 at 16:10
  • Facebook are doing a POST request to your URL. That is how Page Tab apps works – WizKid Aug 30 '17 at 19:11
  • @WizKid Thanks for the reply. Do you know if this documented somewhere? I'd be interested to learn exactly how it works. – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Aug 31 '17 at 03:08
  • https://developers.facebook.com/docs/pages/tabs – WizKid Aug 31 '17 at 04:34
  • @WizKid Thanks. I've already read that page though. It doesn't really go into any detail. That said I suppose it doesn't matter. The solution here would be for Facebook to update this to be a bit more flexible. Even they just added the option of sending a POST or GET request. – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Aug 31 '17 at 06:20
  • It specifically say that it will send a POST request. And it does that for privacy reasons. That is why you can't change it to a GET. – WizKid Aug 31 '17 at 16:28
  • It should be an option though. Not all pages need to take privacy into account, in fact I'd argue the majority don't, and not all hosting environments support POST requests, so a POST being the only option means some people are unable to use Page Tabs. – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Sep 01 '17 at 05:08
  • At the very least they should probably have a highlighted text block at the top of that page saying the URL must be https and support POST requests in order to use Page Tabs. – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Sep 01 '17 at 05:12
  • Thanks for your help though. Ranting aside, this question is solved :) – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Sep 01 '17 at 05:15
  • It is not a for your privacy. It is for the privacy of the user that is using Facebook and looking at your Page Tab app. Facebook cares more about that user than you. – WizKid Sep 01 '17 at 15:19
  • Yeah that's totally understandable. What I meant was, in most cases, privacy is a non-issue for all parties involved. Like when a Page Tab is used for viewing a restaurant menu for example. – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Sep 01 '17 at 15:53
  • But there is no way for Facebook or the Facebook User to know if you are a good or bad guy. – WizKid Sep 01 '17 at 15:55
  • Ok I see what you're saying. In the right hands it would be fine, but in the wrong hands it's a potential security issue, and they have to take a worst case scenario approach. Ok that makes sense. – Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo Sep 01 '17 at 16:50

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For future readers...

Using Facebook Page Tabs isn't possible unless the URL is HTTPS and supports POST requests.

In the case of Squarespace, they have their own method of implementing Facebook Page Tabs, which is documented here - https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/206543737-Adding-Squarespace-tabs-to-Facebook

Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo
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