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How can I block Facebook apps from posting on my Wall?

I keep seeing messages posted on my Facebook wall from friends of mine who are running Facebook applications like "Pillow Fight". How can I block these messages from being posted on my wall?

Dave's Answer:

Recently, a number of recent Facebook applications that have become popular seem to have gained the ability to post automatic messages on the walls of their Facebook friends. Not so good and if you have friends like I do, you'll find that without some sort of response, these updates can take over your timeline.

A typical automated post from one of these applications looks something like this:

facebook pillow fight post

That's is a post that a Facebook friend of mine left on my wall using the "Pillow Fight" application. Other common applications that leave automated posts on your Facebook wall include "Angels", "Quiz Creator", "Smiles", "Friend Secrets", "iHeart", and "Snow Fight". While some people might find these automated posts mildly amusing, it got old for me pretty fast, partly because I have about 4,900 Facebook friends as a result of people adding me after they receive e-mails from the proxy mailing list that I run. Among other things, the wall posts from Facebook applications started to crowd out the thoughtful personal messages that friends were leaving on my wall (like, "Hey!"). If it's already starting to get old for you as well, here's how to block those types of applications.

(Note that if you have an application that is posting updates not on your Facebook wall, but posting updates about you so that they show up in your friends' news feeds as entries that look like status updates authorized by you, that's a separate problem, and indicates that you may have inadvertently authorized a Facebook app to post updates about you. See the separate article, "How do I remove a Facebook application?" for more information about that. For the purposes of this article, I'm assuming that what you actually want to do is to stop other people's Facebook applications from writing to your wall.)

First, click on the words "Pillow Fight" (or whatever the name of the application is) at the bottom of your wall post:

facebook pillow fight post pillow fight circled

(Note that the words are not underlined, so they don't exactly "look like" a link, but you can click on them).

This will take you to the home page for the Pillow Fight application on Facebook. On the Pillow Fight page, you can click a link in the left-hand column labeled "Block Application":

facebook block application link

Click on that link, which will bring up the following dialog box:

facebook block pillow fight dialog

This is somewhat confusingly worded, because where it says "You can prevent Pillow Fight from getting any info about you", what that means for these purposes is that you can block other users from using the Pillow Fight application to post on your wall. To confirm that this is what you want to do, click the "Block Pillow Fight" button.

This will not, however, remove the "Pillow Fight" posts that have already been posted to your Facebook wall. To remove those, go back to your own Facebook profile, and for each post that you want to remove, move the mouse pointer over the post so that the "Remove" button appears in the upper-right corner:

facebook pillow fight post with remove button

(The "Remove" button will not actually appear until you move your mouse pointer over your Facebook post.)

Unfortunately there does not seem to be a general method to block all Facebook applications from leaving automated posts on your Facebook wall. You have to look at the name of each app that's leaving posts on your wall, and decide if you want to block it using the steps above.

Bennett Haselton is a technology and political blogger whose other major contribution to humanity for today was making a page about how to bypass the Blue Coat web filter / K9 Web Protection.


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Categorized: Facebook Help   (Article 9274, Written by )
Tagged: facebook, facebook apps, facebook wall, privacy
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Reader Comments To Date: 19

Deb said, on January 23, 2010 10:43 AM:

I don't get a "remove" button on each post, all I get is a "hide" button. I can hide the post, or hide all "pillow fight" apps. But no remove button.

Christian Nelson said, on January 23, 2010 3:33 PM:

Dave,
It's a guaranteed thing that every time I come to your site I find at least one item that's really worthwhile. You're doing great work here...thanks.

Julie Thomasson said, on January 26, 2010 3:07 PM:

Is there a way to adjust my Newsfeed settings so that I will no longer see it in the news stream when someone joins a group? Thank you!

skipperjett said, on February 14, 2010 6:35 PM:

Just be aware, if you use the app that you want blocked from your wall, you will no longer be able you use that particular app until you allow it to contact you. Its ok if you dont play pillow fight, but if you do play say, FarmTown or w/e you wont be able to any more. This is a MAJOR FB issue, and I'm sure many of you have seen requests to fix it.
my $.02

Tiffany said, on February 19, 2010 9:58 AM:

So, I've been doing this method, but now when I go to the page to block the app, when I go back to my profile the post is simply gone from that particular app. At first I thought this was nice, because it saved me the extra step of removing the post...but other logged in users can still see those posts if they go to my wall! So they don't exist for ME to remove them, since I can't see them, but others have to see those stupid things if they go to post on MY wall. Any ideas?

fokern said, on February 20, 2010 1:23 AM:

thanks so much for the heads up!

Keri said, on March 6, 2010 2:01 PM:

I have the same issue as Tiffany...I blocked the applications but they still show up on my profile because they are being blocked to me and I can't see them to remove them.

mala said, on March 10, 2010 5:25 PM:

why isn't facebook protecting the legal privacy of people! someone has impersonated me, creatred a profile and put my personal information, pictures and made rude comments on the profile of me! i have no access nor information how to delete this account! this has violated my privacy and i am suffering public ridicule!to date i have made many reports on the impersonators profile emailed facebook and yet nothing has been done! i am being humiliated and yet facebook dont give a damn cause that profile is just another to build their popularity! i need help people what more can i do!
please help urgently!

kel said, on April 16, 2010 8:12 PM:

I agree - I don't want to get rid of some of the games and stuff, but I DO get really tired of seeing "So and so posted something on your wall" and it's some stupid gift thing. Why are these now posting to the walls instead of being in notifications? My wall's my wall, darn it! ;) Facebook needs to fix it - it's annoying for those "friends" who are game obsessed!

calamtykel said, on April 16, 2010 8:17 PM:

to Mala - the FBI typically handles internet harassment and this is also identity theft especially since could impact your job, etc. I would report it to the FBI - start making phone calls and emphasize how this is impacting your life, relationships, work, etc. It's sad that someone else has so little to do.

Mako said, on April 21, 2010 8:06 AM:

I'm having the Same issue as Tiffany and Keri it looks like the ones that I didn't delete before I blocked the application are still on my wall and I just can't see them but everyone else has to look at that garbage how do I get rid of it?

Logan said, on June 27, 2010 2:55 PM:

Thank you so much... I couldn't figure it out on my own!

Sandy said, on October 10, 2010 2:52 PM:

Hi. People are carrying on posts with THEIR FRIENDS
on my wall instead of the friends wall. Like, I teach writing. My friend made a comment, his friend
lik3ed it and wanted his number and he gave it to
the other ON MY SITE. How can I stop this? I can't find a blocking box to x for something like this. Do I have to delete MY friends as 'friends' to keep their entire site from appearing on MY wall?
???
Thanks.
Sandy

maricar said, on October 19, 2010 11:44 PM:

how can i block my own facebook account?

LAURIE REYNOLDS said, on November 20, 2010 9:31 PM:

I play many of the games/applications, but I do NOT want to see "so and so sent you a gift from Farmville" on my Wall. How do I stop the postings without blocking the application? I want my wall for me! Not application. Quite frankly, I don't want everyone knowing just how many games I play, and when they send me a gift, it shows up on my wall. Not GOOd.I don't want to give up my Cafe' because I have worked so hard on it, but I don't want everyone else in my friend network to see I play these games more often than I should. How do I stop the postings without blocking the application?

amber said, on January 22, 2011 2:37 PM:

Go to Account (Top Right of Fbook Page): Privacy settings: Apps & Websites: Edit Settings: Apps You Use: Edit Settings. Then click on the edit settings button next to the app you want to block and click Remove App.

Abhishek said, on March 13, 2011 10:36 PM:

Thanks Buddy..That was really helpful..

Jean said, on March 15, 2011 2:35 AM:

how do I stop posts I make on other people's walls appearing on my wall under recent activity (apart from actually manually deleting each one?

kathy copeland said, on September 12, 2012 10:24 PM:

The post that I put on public political sites are showing on my facebook page then I get attacked by friends that are not "like minded in their political views. How do I stop this from happening?

Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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