Help and Support

How are Facebook permissions used?

Last Updated: Aug 25, 2011 07:01PM PDT
  Length and wording of Facebook permissions

RockMelt's permissions list is longer because it lets you do many of the things you can do on facebook.com, including sharing links, writing on their walls, seeing friend updates, and more. The more an application does, the more permissions it needs, and the longer list.

Facebook permissions tend to be written primarily for web applications – like playing a game. Because of this, it may be easier to understand the permissions RockMelt asks for by adding a “Use RockMelt to…” in front of the actual wording.
 
So for example, the “Post to my Wall” permission RockMelt asks for is better understood by thinking of it as a request to “Use RockMelt to post to my Wall.”
 
Also, some of the permissions give examples of information that may be requested in parentheses.  Just because it’s listed does not mean RockMelt requests every item: Facebook tends to “bucket” requests and list out all the potential examples.
 
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How the permissions are used

• Access my basic information (Includes name, profile picture, gender, networks, user ID, list of friends, and any other information I’ve shared with everyone)

This permission allows RockMelt to access your photo, name, and list of friends, which are used to  populate the Friend Edge with your friends and add your profile picture to the upper left corner of the browser.
 

• Send me email (RockMelt may email me directly at [name@email.com])

This permission is so RockMelt can communicate urgent news or updates to you quickly and easily. We’re a browser, not an email marketing company, and we promise to never spam you or share your info with others!
 

• Post to my Wall (RockMelt may post status messages, notes, photos, and videos to my Wall)
 

This permission is needed to let you post status updates on your own wall through RockMelt’s sharing features (which is why you might see the “via RockMelt” under Facebook status updates).
 
RockMelt will never automatically post new status updates, notes, photos or videos to people's walls without you doing so yourself using RockMelt’s Share button and sharing features. As mentioned before, this permission may be better understood as a “Use RockMelt to post to my Wall” permission.


• Access posts in my News Feed

RockMelt uses this permission to add your Facebook News Feed into RockMelt directly so you can see your News Feed without going to Facebook.com – saving you time and clicks.
 

• Access my data any time (RockMelt may access my data when I’m not using the application)

This permission allows RockMelt to get your feed in the background, so it can show you up-to-date information as soon as you login to RockMelt.
 

• Access Facebook Chat

The “Access Facebook Chat” permission allows you to chat with your friends from the RockMelt Friend Edge. Your friends are available to chat wherever you go online.
 

• Access my custom friend lists

RockMelt uses custom friend lists inside the Facebook App in the App Edge so you can see and filter friend updates by the lists you’ve created.
 

• Access my profile information (Likes, Music, TV, Movies, Books, Quotes, Groups, Notes, Birthday, Current City and Facebook Status)

This permission lets RockMelt include your Facebook status updates and “likes” into the RockMelt browser directly. We’re also thinking of ways to add in other features – such as notes and more – later!
 

• Access my contact information (Online Presence)

This permission lets us use your “Online Presence” as part of the RockMelt chat feature so you can set your chat status and let your friends see when you are online (just like on facebook.com)
 

• Access my photos and videos (Photos Uploaded by Me and Photos and Videos of Me)

Access to your photos and videos are needed so that we can let you see your own photos in the RockMelt Facebook Me App in the App Edge.
 

• Access my friends’ information (Birthdays, Likes, Music, TV, Movies, Books, Quotes, Online Presence, Notes, Photos, Videos, Photos and Videos of Them and Facebook Statuses)

This permission lets you see your friends’ photos, status updates, “likes” and more right inside RockMelt so you don’t have to go to facebook.com every time. Instead, just click on your friends’ profile icons on the Friend Edge sidebar or click on the Facebook News Feed App. This permission also lets you see your friends’ photos before you invite them to RockMelt.


Please let us know if you have any questions or feedback by emailing feedback-at-rockmelt.com.