Does Facebook Know You're Scraping IDs? (11)
If you use a program to scrape UIDs, does it leave a trail back to Facebook? Do they know you're doing this?
Also, are people still using these without getting their accounts closed?
No they won't know. You're literally copying/pasting from a page.
They could log your OGraph search history (previous searches influence future suggestions...) but I doubt they use this to find scrapers.
It would be a waste of their time to even consider caring about this.
They will simply remove the option for custom audiences via FB UID and that will end it all.
I'm actually going through a review process with facebook after my account was just disabled all of a sudden this morning. Some of the ads that had custom audience targeting based off of scraped UID's and no reason for the suspension was given. I can share the outcome once I find out if the UID's were in fact the reason.
Cool, let us know!
The Teespring craze definitely made FB keenly aware of the UID scraping/custom audiences, though not sure how much banning has come from it rather than ad disapproval.
Really strange, so first I got an email that the account is disabled and can't be reopened b/c of violations. I still haven't gotten an answer as to what those violations are.
Then over the course of 24 hours, all of my ads have been cancelled one-by-one (even though they weren't running anymore anyway b/c of the account ban).
Not sure if that was wise or not, but I used a 2nd account (not tied to my name, but tied to my FB page i'm promoting and posting from, and same email address but different credit card). Had no problems today getting ads approved on that account. Anybody have any advice on that? Should I have opened a completely separate account rather than one tied to my page/email address that was banned?
Hey man, thanks for sharing your exp with this.
I was very much on the fence when it comes to UID scrapers or even doing some PHP hacks to get it, after hearing about how others have gotten burned as a result. Good to know that we should stay away.
I recently had to create a new acct as well, for other reasons, and yeah, rule of thumb is to always use a fresh email/CC/phone #. I was also thinking of reusing old fan pages that I put some work into... don't think it's a biggie, but I'm going to be risk-averse and start all over.
Still no reply from FB. Tried contacting them through two different web forms and two email addresses. Very strange the whole thing.
New account (tied to same email/fan page) has been doing fine for over a day now.
Re: the UID's I scraped, I initially used software (forget the name), but then went on to just get the lists on fiverr. I always got at least 20-30k highly engaged UID's that I then used to build lookalike audiences. Those audiences worked really well for me, but I think I'm on getting back on track with FB sanctioned audiences through their audience insights combined w/ retargeting off my website.
So I got an update (after two days of waiting). They said that FB reserves the right to remove ads or disable ad accounts in the interest of their users' experience. They couldn't have been any more specific?? I asked for more detail in a very polite way. Let's see if I get an update, but the reason for my account closure may not be related to scraped UID's after all.
They probably won't give you more info.
They have mastered the art of vague template responses.
Originally Posted by zeno
Yup, vague, won't point to a specific ad/campaign, they just don't care -- and don't need to.
They would probably have to employ several full time employees if they wanted to respond politely and in detail to every support request about locked/banned accounts.
Home > Paid Traffic Sources > Facebook & Instagram