How to continue using the Facebook source?

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Update to at least v3.9 of JIG. Check that your Facebook app is created in accordance with the "Quick instructions for setting up a Facebook App" on the Facebook tab of JIG settings. Do NOT create a new app (or your existing shortcodes will have to be re-done as the ID numbers in them are app-scoped), but do the "Valid OAuth Redirect URIs" step. It's vital to continue using this source.

The change does not affect loading content from profiles or other user's profiles, they continue working the same way.

Due to changes to the Facebook platform, it's no longer possible to load any random Facebook page with JIG. So you can't select the page of a company, public figure, or your favorite actress unless you actually have something to do with them. Now, there is a requirement that you are an administrator of such page. If you created the page you are automatically the admin. For other pages, you can request administrator rights from the owner. Therefore:

  • Your own page? It'll get added or refreshed to JIG automatically when you click "Add current Facebook user (and all administered pages)". Just perform this action today (and once every 2 months), then everything will be fine.
  • 3rd party page you are the admin of? Treated the same way as your own, it's automatically added.
  • 3rd party page you have something to do with? Request an administrator role from the owner of the page.
  • Not getting the admin role? Try just adding the user profile (as "other user") who owns that page. The user needs to be a test user of your app, however, they don't need to give you admin rights to their pages. Perhaps they are OK with you getting access to their pages by using their profile, who knows.
  • Any random page you like? There is likely no chance you can show that with JIG anymore :(

It's no longer possible to manually add a page because the pages you can actually use get added automatically from now on. In essence, for those that use their own content one way or the other, things even became easier. Those that operate a fan page or business listings from many partners, this is a negative change. Remember, the platform is subject to change. With some creativity and connections you can still reach the page you need, but if you have nothing to do with them you are out of luck. Please understand this is out of our control, and Facebook decided to make things this way.

See the struggles or read more background information about this (an older entry): 

This FAQ entry was posted in Content sources on May 26, 2018