Facebook cuts off user data access for hundreds of thousands of apps

Facebook had announced August 1 as the deadline for apps to apply for a new review process and API access has been revoked for the ones that have not applied to undergo the review.

Facebook will be “proactively queueing up apps for review,” so that all apps undergo evaluation. Developers of these apps can be asked for more information, to which they have a limited amount of time to respond. In case one does not revert to the query within the stipulated time frame, the app’s access for the applied API will be removed. Ime Archibong, Facebook’s VP of product partnerships writes in a blog post, “We’d encourage apps that are still being used but have not been submitted for app review to do so now. However, to ensure all apps currently in use go through our review process, we will be proactively queueing up apps for review. Where we need more information, developers will have a limited amount of time to respond. If we don’t hear back within that timeframe, we will remove the app’s access to APIs that require approval.”