Facebook administrators have found a way which is not fair to increase the number of Likes counted for various websites.
Specifically, they implemented a system that automatically scans links inserted in private messages sent between users of the social network. Upon detection of such a link, the system automatically gives a Like to the page addressed, thus artificially increasing the number of Likes counted. Moreover, after the detection of a link leading to a very popular page, two Likes are automatically added.
Asked for clarification, Facebook representatives explained how giving two Like at the same time is caused by a bug found in one of the plugin components of the networking site which will be fixed shortly. They mentioned that the problem only affect external plugins and is not related to Likes given on the Facebook pages. The bug does not affect how the messages are received or the information posted timeline.
However, the social network administrators have failed to explain why the Likes are counted automatically, without the users giving them directly and why this method was applied for distributing links in private messages.
According to representatives of Facebook the number displayed next to the Like button is obtained by adding the Likes for the URL, whenever the URL was passed on, the number of Likes and comments on Facebook that refer to the page address and the number of messages sent between users, containing the URL.
Beyond issues of invasion of privacy, automatic metering of Likes for links sent in private messages may cause immediate inconvenience if a controversial topic or page is targeted, and the name of the sender appears in the timeline or the page. Fortunately Facebook administrators denied this possibility, saying that during the processing of links distributed by the share function or in private messages, there is no information to identify users.
Regarding the policy of scanning URLs contained in private messages, Facebook officials explained that this step is necessary for filtering and blocking spam messages and to generate the preview image of web pages.
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