Viewing Facebook My Way: Finding the Facts

  • Thread starter Thread starter anorlunda
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Facts
AI Thread Summary
Users are seeking a way to customize their Facebook experience by viewing only friends' posts without ads, likes, shares, or suggestions. Despite the existence of third-party applications for other platforms, no such solution for Facebook has been found. The discussion highlights the challenges posed by Facebook's API and its terms of service, which limit third-party development. Some participants suggest using Facebook's API to create a personalized client, but the lack of existing solutions raises doubts about feasibility. The conversation also touches on the humorous analogy of visiting a site for research while wanting to avoid its primary content, illustrating the frustration with Facebook's inherent structure. Overall, the consensus is that while the idea is appealing, the technical and legal barriers make it unlikely for a straightforward solution to exist.
anorlunda
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
Messages
11,326
Reaction score
8,750
I have been trying unsuccessfully to find a way to view Facebook my way. What I mean is to view the pictures and prose posted by my friends, but no ads, not their likes, not their shares, no suggestions. I'm like sergeant Joe Friday on Drag net - "Just the facts sir, nothing but the facts."

It seems that every service has third party ways to access them, such as third party email clients, or to circumvent YouTube restrictions, or to block ads, but nothing for Facebook that I can find.

  1. Am I wrong? Is there a FB client that does what I want?
  2. How does FB block third party developers, with technology, or with lawyers?
 
  • Like
Likes Silicon Waffle
Physics news on Phys.org
anorlunda said:
Am I wrong? Is there a FB client that does what I want?
I don't have Facebook so I don't know.
anorlunda said:
How does FB block third party developers, with technology, or with lawyers?
With technology? They only give you enough of what you need and not more than that. Probably this: https://kb.iu.edu/d/amsv

With lawyers? They can do pretty much what they want with what they own. They have an API. Use it under their TOS and you are good to go. Else... さあ な (I don't know)
anorlunda said:
I have been trying unsuccessfully to find a way to view Facebook my way. What I mean is to view the pictures and prose posted by my friends, but no ads, not their likes, not their shares, no suggestions.
Why don't you try using their API and make a client for yourself?
 
I don't use facebook.
 
Me neither, but once had to use their API for an android project at uni. I was forced to create an account for the project. I don't even remember the password anymore.
 
I've never heard of anything like you're looking for. Seeing likes, shares, ads and suggestions are the most important functions of fb. Attempt to have fb without them is like going to a porn site and don't wish to see naked people. Sad but true.
I only have the account because some people I know don't use regular email and the only way to keep in touch is fb. Apart from that, I don't use fb at all.
 
  • Like
Likes Silicon Waffle
:DD That's not sad, that's funny as hell! I love that analogy. "Hey, I only visited that site to research human lovely interactions, not because I wanted to see them ...without you know... their clothes." :oldlaugh:

@anorlunda I've never seen a third party app that can do that. So I ask you very kindly: Can you program? Can you try the API to do it yourself?
 
  • Like
Likes Silicon Waffle
Psinter said:
:DD That's not sad, that's funny as hell! I love that analogy. "Hey, I only visited that site to research human lovely interactions, not because I wanted to see them ...without you know... their clothes." :oldlaugh:

@anorlunda I've never seen a third party app that can do that. So I ask you very kindly: Can you program? Can you try the API to do it yourself?
Hahaha what a great excuse :-)
 
You guys crack me up. :biggrin:
 
  • #10
Psinter said:
:DD That's not sad, that's funny as hell! I love that analogy. "Hey, I only visited that site to research human lovely interactions, not because I wanted to see them ...without you know... their clothes." :oldlaugh:

@anorlunda I've never seen a third party app that can do that. So I ask you very kindly: Can you program? Can you try the API to do it yourself?

That would be fun, I used to be a developer. But now the only devices I own are an iPad and an android phone. But I must believe that if was easy to do, some startup company would have begun with that as a get rich idea.
 
  • Like
Likes Psinter and Silicon Waffle
Back
Top