~C4Chaos

I check my Facebook once in while
because a lot of my online friends are using it. I like Facebook
because of its granular control of privacy settings and its developer
API. With the Facebook API developers can build cool and useful
applications. Unfortunately a lot of Facebook applications are
downright juvenile at best, and spammy and sleazy at worst. The
juvenile apps–applications whose sole purpose is to get hits–I can
take. Some of them are fun too. But they lose their novelty pretty
soon. The spammy and sleazy apps, those are the ones I get *really*
pissed at, especially if I get duped by it.

Case in point: I received an invite from trustworthy friend for a Facebook app called Freebee Gifts. It says that I got a free $100 Amazon Gift Card. I got curious
on how this freebee app works so I went along for the ride. After
clicking continue it says that I in order to claim the gift I have to
send the Freebee app to 20 of my friends. My spider sense tingled, but
I continued to go along. I thought to myself, Well, I’ll be sending 20 of my friends free gifts, so what the heck, might as well share the love.
But as soon as hitting send button I got greeted with another step
before I receive the “free” gift: I needed to complete offers from
other advertisers. I realized that this is total bull. But by then it
was too late. I already sent the app to 20 of my friends. I’ve been
used as host by a parasitic spam. I’ve been a victim of a sleazy
marketing scheme. And I only have myself to blame. Shame on me.

In order to make amends I’ve reported the app to Facebook. I’m also
spreading the word via this blog. The Freebee app should’ve been named Sleezee. I agree with Andrew Bourland. These kinds of apps should be banned from Facebook.

To all my Facebook friends to whom I sent the Freebee app: My deepest apology. It won’t happen again. Please refrain from sending this app to your friends.

The moral of the story: Google a Facebook app before installing.