Facebook to begin proactively reviewing apps that have not been submitted for inspection

Facebook has announced it will begin proactively enrolling apps in the new app review process launched in July — meaning that even if a developer has not yet enrolled their app for review, Facebook will add it to the queue automatically. Developers will be notified via an alert in their app dashboards once the app has been scheduled for review.

Why marketers should care

Since the Cambridge Analytica news broke, and Facebook was exposed for allowing an app to exploit user data, the company has launched a more comprehensive app review process (in addition to suspending more than 400 apps).

Any business, brand or marketer using an app on Facebook will be impacted by the company’s updated app review process, if they haven’t been already. The updated review process refines the amount of data an app has access to — and could cause the app to be suspended if the developer does not follow Facebook’s development guidelines. All new and existing apps must undergo the review process.

Facebook says that developers should still continue to submit apps for review, and that developers can now modify app settings and add new products to apps while their review decision is pending. There is also a new server-to-server platform option for apps using Facebook features like the Lead Ads integrations.

More on Facebook’s app review process

• In the coming weeks, Facebook will roll out a separate review process that will include an individual verification process for developers not associated with a business.
• As part of Facebook’s new app review process, developers with existing apps must resubmit the app to gain access to the following integrations: Pages API, Groups API, Events API, Messenger API, Instagram API and Business Manager API.
• In addition to suspending more than 400 apps in recent months, the company cut off access to its API platform for hundreds of thousands of inactive apps last month.

About The Author

Amy Gesenhues

Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land, Search Engine Land and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.