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I'm interested in creating an app on an external website that will publish logged-in user's article reads to their timeline. However, I've noticed that when a story is published to timeline, other users who are not connected with your app, are forced to "Add to Timeline". To me, this defeats the purpose because I want users who are not associated with our brand to discover our content and then add it to the timeline if they are a fan of ours. Is there a way to turn off this setting? or is everyone FORCED to add an app to the timeline before they can see the content?

for instance, when I click on a story posted by the Washington Post on someone's timeline, I get this screen -> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1169963/timeline.png when I expected it to just bring me straight to the article. Most users are going to abandon the app at this point and never click on a Washington Post article again

and it looks like people are making browser plugins to stop this from happening: http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/01/frictionless-kills-facebook-social-article-readers-dead/ so, is there a way for developers to prevent this all together?

rink.attendant.6
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David Barratt
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What do you mean about FORCED ? If i give permissions, after app produces timeline posts, it will combine and show as an application box in my timeline. But before it, i can see my friends timeline apps without installing them. Also same in newsticker in news feed...

For example in my profile http://facebook.com/chaylock , you should see my NIVEA Mega Kutu timeline app without interacting app..

Tolga Arican
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  • ok, right now on your timeline, under "News" it says "Recently read on Washington Post Social Reader" when I click on "Steve Jobs' last words revealed." I get this screen -> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1169963/timeline.png when I expected it to just bring me straight to the article. Most users are going to abandon the app at this point and never click on a Washington Post article again. – David Barratt Dec 01 '11 at 00:19
  • it is about how you design your app workflow. In, Washington Post app, when you enter for the first time, it redirects you to permissions page. But if you do not want users to escape, you shouldn't redirect at first step. Check out your codes, and don't redirect to permissions page in early phase. It will cause you not to gather userid but if you want so, you can achieve that. Btw, Timeline apps are opened for development but they are not approving actions/verbs/.. yet. So nothing to worry for now, you can not show up a dialog box like WP did, they are timeline launchment partners. – Tolga Arican Dec 01 '11 at 00:52
  • right, but what I'm saying is that it looks like it is facebook that is sending everyone to the permissions dialog (the same thing happens with Yahoo! news). I just don't see any example of an app that isn't doing that. if you know of one, could you provide it? – David Barratt Dec 01 '11 at 02:02
  • there is only few apps using timeline who they are facebook release partners. And if they design their workflow that needs user information at first step, they will grant permissions for that. but it does not mean , you can not do without permissions dialog. For now, there is NO WAY to implement because Timeline is not launched yet. So sit down, remove your question, wait for launchment, after that if you can not do, come back.. Respect people paying attention to your question and trying to help. – Tolga Arican Dec 01 '11 at 03:44
  • Sir, as far as development is concerned, everything is launched. If you use the 'approved' actions, like watching a video or reading a news article, you can use the features right now. Even thought timeline is not launched, the ticker and newsfeed integration is. So you reading stories on the Washington Post appears on all of your friends ticker and newsfeed regardless of timeline's launch. So I would appreciate you respecting my question and desire for a real answer not telling me that it doesn't matter when at any moment it will. I was really hoping for an official answer from facebook. – David Barratt Dec 01 '11 at 03:59