Why Does Facebook Block Any Mention Of BugMeNot?

from the waste-of-time dept

Fri, Sep 5th 2008 3:58pm — Mike Masnick

Remember back about four years ago when all sorts of online publishers relied on bogus registrations and freaked out about services like BugMeNot that required registration? Over the past few years, BugMeNot has become a lot less essential, because a lot of publications have been getting rid of registration walls or at least providing real value for registering, rather than just forcing you to input bogus info. However, apparently the folks over at Facebook are so against the concept of BugMeNot they won't even let you mention it (via Slashdot. Apparently, if you mention BugMeNot.com in your status message, Facebook warns you that the "message contains blocked content." I guess that's what you get for relying on a messaging system controlled by someone else, but it still seems like a bizarre thing for Facebook to block.

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Filed Under: bans, bugmenot, communication
Companies: facebook

37 Comments

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Vicki, 5 Sep 2008 @ 4:48pm

BugMeNot
Wow ever heard of first ammendment rights?
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Derek, 5 Sep 2008 @ 4:57pm

Facebook hates anon e-mail
They have been working very hard to remove access for anyone that uses an disposable e-mail service. So I guess this goes along with that crusade. Although it does take it to a whole other level.
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Yoyohead, 5 Sep 2008 @ 5:01pm

Re: BugMeNot
Nope, MySpace is a private club that you sign up to join. They can block whatever they want. Its lame to block that, but they can.
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Michael Long, 5 Sep 2008 @ 5:12pm

Registrations
I know several sites that automatically revoke registrations that use disposible emails or obviously false information (john doe, asdgfs@asda.com).

They believe they're providing a lot of good content in exchange for a valid registration (which they don't spam). If the user doesn't live up to his side of the bargin, then they feel they're justified in cutting him off.
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Rose M. Welch, 5 Sep 2008 @ 5:18pm

I love BugMeNot! It's awesome, as it RetailMeNot. I can very much see why Facebook would want to block it, but you think they'd see why knowing it was blocked would piss people off...

It's kinda funny actually because now more people are going to know about the site.
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Matt, 5 Sep 2008 @ 5:19pm

I think they fixed it
It gave me the warning earlier today, but it seems to be working fine now.
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Bill G, 5 Sep 2008 @ 5:32pm

bugmenot
I know a guy that has a couple of small forums and all he does is go on bugmenot and search for the site and block the logins on there and then says does not bother blocking the site in posts and stuff. I guess the big guys are not that smart huh.
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Sep 2008 @ 6:03pm

1st amendment is right to free speech. Most people don't realize this is about gov't. Meaning you can criticize your gov't and you won't goto jail. Everyone expects every little thing to go with it. no one has read a history book.
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john doe, 5 Sep 2008 @ 6:09pm

my name IS john doe... those insensitive clods!
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Jack Sombra, 5 Sep 2008 @ 6:38pm

"I know several sites that automatically revoke registrations that use disposible emails or obviously false information (john doe, asdgfs@asda.com)."
Funny thing is asda.com is the site for one of the top 3 supermarket chains in the UK
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Sep 2008 @ 7:31pm

Re: Registrations
So just how does just mentioning BugMeNot equate to "the user doesn't live up to his side of the bargin"?
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MikeR, 5 Sep 2008 @ 7:43pm

Facebook probably subscribes to one of the blacklisting sites that included BugMeNot in their blacklist. Not necessarily evil - just lazy.
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Paul`, 5 Sep 2008 @ 7:47pm

Re: BugMeNot
Ever heard that Facebookis hosted on private servers and is not a country? You have no rights to free speech on internet messaging systems like myspace and facebook.
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Sep 2008 @ 8:27pm

Re:
Ha ha ha! He he he! *snort!*

"Meaning you can criticize your gov't and you won't goto(sic) jail."

Seriously? Really? You believe that?
Go ahead, criticize the stupid fluff bullshit which gets bandied around day-in and day-out--nobody cares.

But, get close to the truth and mention to the wrong person how your government is wrong and see how fast you become a "terrorist" in charge of some plot (which you've never heard of) and then it's just capture you (you terrorist fuck) and ship you off to Guantanamo Bay.
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steve, 5 Sep 2008 @ 9:36pm

just tried it out on my facebook and nothing happened. would love to know the whole story.
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ike, 5 Sep 2008 @ 10:03pm

Wow ever heard of first ammendment rights?

You have the right to say almost everything you want, but Facebook doesn't have any obligation to publish it.
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Michael Long, 5 Sep 2008 @ 10:18pm

Re:
Unless asdgfs is a genuine Hindu or Arabic name I suspect that the combination is sufficiently suspicious, especially when coupled with a login name of John Doe... (grin)
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anon, 6 Sep 2008 @ 2:12am

not blocked
it's not blocked anymore.
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chris (profile), 6 Sep 2008 @ 7:02am

mailinator FTW
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BTR1701, 6 Sep 2008 @ 7:31am

Re: BugMeNot
> Wow ever heard of first ammendment rights?

Wow, ever actually read the Constitution?

The 1st Amendment only protects against government censorship. It has no bearing on the actions of a privately owned web site.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 Sep 2008 @ 7:34am

Re: Re:
> But, get close to the truth and mention to the wrong person
> how your government is wrong

And what "truth" might that be? I want to put your little theory to the test.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 Sep 2008 @ 9:07am

Re: Re:
Unless asdgfs is a genuine Hindu or Arabic name I suspect that the combination is sufficiently suspicious,
What? Email addresses are just that, addresses. They are not personal names.

especially when coupled with a login name of John Doe... (grin)
I've got another news flash for you, John Doe is a legitimate name. You may not like it, but that's not the point.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 Sep 2008 @ 9:16am

Re: Re: Re:
And what "truth" might that be?

I suspect that might be any truth that those with sufficient authority find to be sufficiently threatening to such authority. You can take it from there.

I want to put your little theory to the test.

Go ahead. They'll keep the light on for you at Gitmo.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 Sep 2008 @ 11:16am

Re: Re: BugMeNot
Thank you for replying to that.
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Todd Nugent, 6 Sep 2008 @ 3:12pm

FaceBook is a total scam. But if you use the service, then expect to be told what to do by Zuckerberg. That's the way it is.
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IrishDaze, 6 Sep 2008 @ 7:22pm

Re:
I hadn't heard of RetailMeNot before. Thanks for mentioning it!!
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Pinky Floyd, 6 Sep 2008 @ 7:50pm

Geeze...People should just get a 'junk' e-mail account with Google and use that to give out indiscriminately and just check it once a month to empty it out.

That's what I do...

/And when they do send me e-mail crap..I list it as 'spam'. Let the big boys at Google deal with them.
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Stefan Mai, 6 Sep 2008 @ 8:24pm

Tech Solution?
Any how hard would it be to write a script that polls bugmenot.com and bans any valid usernames and passwords that show up there?
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Novice, 7 Sep 2008 @ 8:13pm

...?
Sorry, feel a little out of place reading this, but what -is- BugMeNot?
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Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 7 Sep 2008 @ 11:49pm

Shouldn't That Be Rephrased As ...
"Remember back about four years ago when all sorts of online publishers required registration and freaked out about services like BugMeNot that allowed you to create bogus registrations?"
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Sep 2008 @ 11:59pm

Re: Tech Solution?
Seems like it would also be an easy for admins to ban users they didn't like for personal or other reasons without admitting the true reason. Just give the username and password to BugMeNot and then ban the "bad" user because his info "turned up" on BugMeNot.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2008 @ 2:55am

Re: Re: BugMeNot
> the Constitution?

> only protects against government

> It has no bearing on the actions of a privately owned web site

Oh, really?

So when your "privately owned" company also decides it won't hire "Negroes" then what?

GOTCHA!
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bugmenot, 15 Oct 2008 @ 9:03am

Um, that's not free speech that's discrimination by race.
ha ha GOTCHA
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EEBIE, 14 Feb 2009 @ 5:20pm

EEBIE
EAT ASS HAIR.droppedthebomb.com
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bypass rd to, 24 Nov 2010 @ 9:31pm

No more blocked bugmenot!
Hey check out this new site, they don't block urls! http://bypass.rd.to/
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eric bess, 21 Jan 2013 @ 1:12am

surveilance
facebook is used to collect information. if someone is logging in from an account from multiple ip addresses, it makes it difficult for the u.s govt to keep tabs on you.
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Mohammad, 28 May 2014 @ 1:21pm

Facebook Mention Tagging Blocker
Facebook Mention Tagging Blocker is an extension for google chrome will block mention and tags from all users or specific users...

It's available now in chrome store: http://goo.gl/LNpIVq
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