I have a Unity game that uses the user_friends permission for leaderboards, seeing other friends progress on the adventure map, and sending gifts to other facebook friends that are playing the game. I keep getting rejected, the first few times were from outdated instructions/wrong apk, but now I have updated all the instructions and created a screencast with up to date examples of usage, but have been rejected again.

I am not sure how to proceed, the last comment was :

"Hello team!

While reviewing this submission, we were unable to verify the requested permissions because the use case details are invalid. We noticed that your screencast demonstrated inviting facebook friends into joining the app.

Apps that state a social experience (such as gifting, leaderboards, etc) and have the ability to invite friends who are already using the app are okay for approval.

For the next submission, please provide us with a verifiable screencast for the review team to test and verify the functionality of the requested permission."

Details:

My game : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gridrealms.aetheria Aetheria, requires the user_friends permission to enable key social interactions between Facebook-connected players. The core functionalities include leaderboards, in-game gift exchanges, and visual representations of friends’ progress within the game. Below are the specific use cases where this permission is necessary:

Friends Playing List with Gifting Option (Screenshot 1):

Feature: The Gather Party screen (Screenshot 1) displays a list of Facebook friends who are already playing the game. Players can send in-game gifts (such as gold coins) to these friends once per day. Use of user_friends Permission: This feature requires access to the player's Facebook friends who have connected to the app. The app uses this information to display friends in the list, along with the option to send a gift. Enhancement to User Experience: This functionality encourages player engagement through social interaction, rewarding users with in-game currency for sharing gifts with friends who are actively playing.

Highscores Leaderboard (Screenshot 2):

Feature: The Legends of Aetheria leaderboard (Screenshot 2) displays the scores of Facebook friends for each level in the game. It ranks players based on their achievements and helps build competitiveness among friends. Use of user_friends Permission: To display the correct leaderboard data, the app retrieves the player's Facebook friends and their scores. This requires the user_friends permission to access their profile data (name and picture) and game progress. Enhancement to User Experience: This leaderboard provides players with a social challenge, motivating them to improve their scores by competing with their friends, thereby enhancing long-term player retention.

Map Display of Friends’ Progress (Screenshot 3):

Feature: On the game map (Screenshot 3), icons of Facebook friends are shown beside the level they are currently on. This visual indicator helps players track their friends' progress within the game. Use of user_friends Permission: The app uses the user_friends permission to access the player's Facebook friends' progress data (i.e., the highest level they've reached) and display their icons on the map accordingly. Enhancement to User Experience: This feature fosters a sense of community, enabling players to visually compare their progress with their friends' and encouraging friendly competition.