Facebook users thrown off site

The importance of social networks was underscored last week in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

It became a major topic on Facebook. It was such a big topic that Facebook mistakenly thought it was just too much spam and began dropping users who were sending out too many messages about the quake.

Andrew Noyes, manager of public policy communications at Facebook, told CIO.com that only a small number of subscribers were taken off the site. And they were warned beforehand when they approached the cut-off limit.

"This wasn't about status updates," Noyes told CIO.com. "People are sending numerous messages to numerous people. They're trying to be in touch with people they care about, but basically that system is in place to prevent abuse of the system. It shouldn't be a surprise because they were warned a number of times that this was going to happen."

There's a simple process for getting back on the site. Users can appeal or they can go through a process that tells them the proper and improper use of the system. Type the word "Haiti" in the appeal request to get an expedited review, Noyes said.

This case of mistaken identity is another example of the growing importance of social networking sites. In the case of the Haiti earthquake, Facebook and other sites became an essential tool for people trying to get information about loved ones on the ground in Haiti. It was one of the few conduits at a time when there was little--if any--communication on the island.

It's becoming clear that social networks have a broader use than just being part of a business plan, but it's important to remember that people are turning to social networks in growing numbers for commerce, fun and critical information.

For more on Facebook:
- see this CIO.com article

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