Facebook Blocks 'Friend Exporter' Tool

CNET is reporting that Facebook is actively trying to block the Google Chrome extension Facebook Friend Exporter, which lets users export their list of Facebook friends and contact info for outside use, according to claims from the extension’s developer, Mohamed Mansour.

“Facebook is trying so hard to not allow you to export your friends. They started to remove emails of your friends from your profile by today July 5, 2011. It will no longer work for many people,” said Mansour.

Using Facebook Friend Exporter, people can collect friends’ information like email addresses, birthdays, and phone numbers into a text file, or export them directly from Facebook into Gmail. The extension makes it easy for Google users to rebuild their friend networks in Google+, which Facebook is likely trying to avoid.

CNET says that the tool likely conflicts with Facebook’s terms of service, which state, “You will not collect users' content or information, or otherwise access Facebook, using automated means (such as harvesting bots, robots, spiders, or scrapers) without our permission.”

Facebook has so far successfully blocked the extension from working, but Mansour said that he’s trying to find a way around it. “No worries, a new version is on the making,” he said. “I am bloody annoyed now because this proves Facebook owns every users' data on Facebook.”