Yandex’s Social Search App Blocked By Facebook Inc (FB)

Updated on

Yandex's Social Search App Blocked By Facebook Inc (FB)

Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is clearly aggressive in implementing its policies and protecting its data from competitors after the social network giant blocked the API access of Wonder, the social search app of Yandex known as the “Google of Russia.”

Yandex recently launched Wonder in the United States on an experimental basis and aims to combine its own search algorithms with data from Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB), Instagram, Foursquare, and Twitter. The app is integrated with voice recognition from Nuance.

The app is sophisticated, and it has the abilty to reorganize Facebook’s data to become more mobile and discoverable. Facebook’s policy prohibits the use of data from its website to any directory or search engine without asking permission from the company.

Yandex is a search engine. Facebook is expected to deny Wonder’s API access automatically. The policy of the social networking giant is clear.

According to the report from Tech Crunch, Yandex confirmed that Facebook sent them an e-mail stating that its data access was revoked, but it can still access Twitter, Four Square, and Instagram. The report cited that Facebook and Yandex are in-talks regarding the possibility of the apps integration or access to the social networking giant’s data.

In a statement sent to TechCrunch, Yandex wrote, “We note that Yandex is not in violation of Facebook Platform Policies providing for restriction to use data obtained from Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) in a search engine or directory for the reason that Wonder is not a search engine or a directory. Our application is a personal assistant that helps browse and organize information that is exclusively available to and associated with relevant account of the relevant user in various social networks and services.”

Yandex explained that Wonder request users permission to access specific information available in a social network or service. According to the company, it does not access information or data beyond the consent. Furthermore, Yandex emphasized that its app “does not perform any automated operation,” unless allowed by users.

Aside from Yandex, Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) also denied Voxer, a voice messaging app from accessing its Find Friends feature. The social network giant blocked the app to prevent it from taking advantage of its data.

Leave a Comment