Facebook to Launch SideWiki-like Recommendation System for Websites

On Saturday I broke news of a few specific XFBML tags Facebook will be releasing as part of its OpenGraph API, as revealed by their open source Javascript Client libraries.  I held back one announcement that I think is almost just as interesting as their Insights for websites, or the SocialBar, which will provide Meebo-like functionality for Facebook on any website (I think it’s no coincidence Meebo, Google, and Yahoo announced XAuth shortly after I wrote that post).  Facebook, in conjunction with F8, is getting ready to launch “fb:recommendations”, a tag which enables users to provide recommendations to other Facebook users on any OpenGraph-enabled website.

Currently in Facebook’s open source Javascript client libraries, the tag can be placed on any website, and, according to the check in for the code on Github, something like this:


“should be replaced by an iframe showing recommendations for the abc website.”  Rendering the code currently just displays an iframe with the Facebook.com website in the frame.  I am assuming when they turn it on to the world that will render something completely different.

If my theories (and a few sources close to Facebook) are correct, Facebook will soon be releasing the ability for any Facebook user to provide recommendations and advice on any website that integrates the recommendations widget.  Think Google Sidewiki, but at the discretion of each website.  The functionality I am guessing will work similar to that of Foursquare’s “Tips” feature.

What makes this feature even more interesting is what this could bring if some of the rumors of GeoLocation being launched are true.  Is this just a sidewiki feature, or could Facebook be getting ready to launch a Geolocation feature, enabling “Recommendations” that go beyond just websites into real-life locations and places?

Be sure to read more about FBML, including a very beginner lesson on XFBML, in my book, FBML Essentials.

17 responses to “Facebook to Launch SideWiki-like Recommendation System for Websites”

  1. Facebook May Launch Recommendation Service For Other Websites | Tech News Ninja Avatar

    […] sites around the web. On the day before the F8 developers’ conference, independent developer Jesse Stay has posted code found on Facebook’s GitHub open source code repository […]

  2. Facebook May Launch Recommendation Service For Other Websites | GeekNews Avatar

    […] on sites around the web. On the day before the F8 developers' conference, independent developer Jesse Stay has posted code found on Facebook's GitHub open source code repository […]

  3. All Blog List » Facebook May Launch Recommendation Service For Other Websites Avatar

    […] on sites around the web. On the day before the F8 developers' conference, independent developer Jesse Stay has posted code found on Facebook's GitHub open source code repository […]

  4. Facebook to Launch SideWiki-like Recommendation System for Websites (Jesse Stay/Stay N’ Alive) « My Blog Avatar

    […] Stay / Stay N’ Alive: Facebook to Launch SideWiki-like Recommendation System for Websites … On Saturday I broke news of a few specific XFBML tags Facebook will be releasing as part […]

  5. Facebook May Launch Recommendation Service For Other Websites | DAILY BREAKING NEWS UPDATE Avatar

    […] sites around the web. On the day before the F8 developers’ conference, independent developer Jesse Stay has posted code found on Facebook’s GitHub open source code repository […]

  6. Marshall Kirkpatrick Avatar

    Great catch Jesse. I dunno if you saw this yet but I wrote it up and tried to put it in more context here http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_m

  7. Jesse Stay Avatar

    Thanks Marshall, I did see that, and retweeted accordingly. Great summary!

  8. Jesse Stay Avatar

    Marshall, also, did you see the news I broke about Insights across the web (in the link above)? Not sure anyone else noticed that. It's huge!

  9. Internet Marketing Course Sydney Avatar

    […] sites around the web. On the day before the F8 developers’ conference, independent developer Jesse Stay has posted code found on Facebook’s GitHub open source code repository […]

  10. Digital Marketing Training » Blog Archive » Digital Marketing Course Sydney Avatar

    […] sites around the web. On the day before the F8 developers’ conference, independent developer Jesse Stay has posted code found on Facebook’s GitHub open source code repository […]

  11. ReadWriteWeb: Facebook May Launch Recommendation Service For Other Websites | XtremelySocial.com Avatar

    […] sites around the web. On the day before the F8 developers’ conference, independent developer Jesse Stay has posted code found on Facebook’s GitHub open source code repository […]

  12. Facebook To Unveil Recommendation Widget At f8 Avatar

    […] blogs. There are a number of people who have been discussing the feature, including Jesse Stay who wrote that it would be a “wiki-like” recommendation engine. According to our sources it will […]

  13. Facebook To Unveil Recommendation Widget At f8 « My Blog Avatar

    […] blogs. There are a number of people who have been discussing the feature, including Jesse Stay who wrote that it would be a “wiki-like” recommendation engine. According to our sources it will […]

  14. Facebook Is Now The Infrastructure For A Social Real-Time Web | Regular Geek Avatar

    […] F8 conference was just yesterday, but the information on what was changing (see here, here, and here) started leaking almost a month ago. People new about the like button and the potential […]

  15. Sesli Sohbet Avatar

    Good book broke about Insights across the web (in the link above)? Not sure anyone else noticed that.

  16. Facebook Is Now The Infrastruc Avatar

    […] F8 conference was just yesterday, but the information on what was changing (see here, here, and here) started leaking almost a month ago. People new about the like button and the potential […]

  17. Facebook To Unveil Recommendat Avatar

    […] blogs. There are a number of people who have been discussing the feature, including Jesse Stay who wrote that it would be a “wiki-like” recommendation engine. According to our sources it will […]

What do YOU think? Let us know your thougts below!