Both Facebook and Instagram have introduced changes that will limit the amount of data that external developers can access. What does this mean for marketers?
This is proof that the company is still trying to recover from the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal.
This news was a shock to many developers, especially given the scale of the changes. Instagram introduced a 96 percent reduction in how often developers can pull data from its API for mobile apps. The API now allows third-party apps to request 200 data updates per hour, compared with the previous 5,000.
This limits the total amount of information these apps can access. It will affect everything from gaming apps to those meant to help marketers track posts or user complaints. These apps will likely stop working once they hit the limit.
Some developers report being cut off entirely, and Instagram has reportedly stopped accepting new apps altogether.
Facebook user lists
Facebook will also limit developer access to data such as event guest lists and group member lists. Apps designed to access Facebook group pages, access page data, or let users log in using Facebook data will have to be approved by the platform.
Facebook also plans to roll out a feature that will let users see a list of installed apps and the information they share with them.
What changes will affect online creators?
Pierre-Loic Assayag, CEO and co-founder of influencer marketing platform Traackr, believes this change in data access will likely affect how influencers spend their time and how brands spend their money.
"Every time a platform makes significant changes to the way it works and moves toward less open sharing, it creates more challenges for the people who drive audience growth," he says.
"Time and again, influencers demonstrate their ability to switch platforms and bring their audiences with them. Influencers always move to platforms that make it easier to engage their followers, publish content, and measure their success. Marketers will have to watch whether changes on other platforms take place in the coming months."
Concepts from the article
API — Application Programming Interface. A defined way in which applications exchange data and call their functions. It describes endpoints, request formats, responses, errors, authorization, and usage limits.
Why it matters: It is a contract between systems: as long as the API does not change, integrations keep working without fixes. Thanks to an API, a portal, CRM, and newsletter can use the same data without manual transfers.
When it is used: In every integration of two systems: publishing content to a portal, syncing contacts, downloading reports.
What happens if it is skipped: Without an API, data is moved through exports and copying — version mismatches, delays, and human errors appear with every update.
