Data Use Checkup Rolling Out Broadly to Facebook Platform Developers

Maintaining a safe, thriving developer ecosystem is critical to our mission of giving people the power to build community and bringing the world closer together. Recently, we have made changes to simplify our Platform Terms and Developer Policies so businesses and developers clearly understand their shared responsibility to safeguard data and respect people’s privacy when using our platform and tools.

These changes represent our strengthened commitment to protect people’s privacy and ensure developers have the tools and information they need to continue to use our platform responsibly.

Today, we’re announcing the broad launch of Data Use Checkup, a new annual workflow for Facebook platform developers that we began testing in April. Through Data Use Checkup, developers will be asked to review the permissions they have access to and commit that their API access and data use comply with the Facebook Platform Terms and Developer Policies within 60 days or risk losing their API access.

We are gradually rolling out Data Use Checkup in waves over the coming months. When you are enrolled in Data Use Checkup, you will receive information via a developer alert, an email to the registered contact, and in your Task List within the App Dashboard.

Developers who manage many apps will have the option to complete Data Use Checkup for multiple apps at once. You can access this flow by going to your “My Apps” page in the App Dashboard. From there, you will see all apps for which you are an admin, be able to filter down to a subset, and complete Data Use Checkup in bulk. This process will still require you to review each app you manage and the permissions you have access to and commit that your platform use complies with the Facebook Platform Terms and Developer Policies.

If you are not yet enrolled in Data Use Checkup, these are steps to take to prepare for the process:

• Ensure you can access your app(s) in the App Dashboard. If you are unable to and need to regain admin status, click here.
• Update contact details and app administrator designation for each app within your organization to receive the most up-to-date notifications. Any app admin will be able to complete the Data Use Checkup, so they should be in a position of authority to act on behalf of your organization. You can designate an app administrator within App Dashboard > Roles and update contact information within App Dashboard > Settings > Advanced.
• Audit your apps and remove those that are no longer needed. To remove an app, go to App Dashboard > Settings > Advanced. This will ensure you’re only receiving developer alerts and notifications for apps that you need.
• Review the permissions and features your apps have access to and remove any that are no longer needed in App Dashboard > App Review > My Permissions and Features.

Data Use Checkup is required for developers using many of our products and platforms across the Facebook Family of Apps. If you are developing on Oculus, here are specifics to consider and here is an update for businesses.

We know user privacy is just as important to our developer community as it is to us. Thank you for continuing to partner with us as we build a safer, more sustainable platform.

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