Yippee, finally figured out how to disable app updates in Facebook

For a long, long time, I have been wanting to disable getting updates about how my friends were doing on the different applications and quizzes on Facebook.

I couldn't care less about an ugly duckling (or a black sheep or a lonely cow) that appeared in X's farm in Farmville and could do with a new home. Or what Mystic Meg predicted for Y. Or who Z was going on a date with.

To start with, I had a few friends and the app craze hadn't quite caught on. Gradually, however, the number of friends I had on Facebook increased. And unfortunately, their fascination with crap like Farmville did, too.

The result - every morning, when I would religiously access my Facebook news feed, I would be inundated with updates like these. The real updates I was interested in - more important stuff - what A had for breakfast, for example, or some what B did during the weekend would be lost in the junk. And since Facebook showed only a limited number of updates (you have to click on the "More" to see more), I would lose out on all the good stuff.

Checking FB twice a day solved the problem for a few days. But my friend list grew and again, the app craze did, too.

This morning things became a little too serious. About 70% of the updates on my news feed were crap. Farmville, Mystic Meg, Anita, the psychic and what have you. No way I was going to let this become worse.

I went to Settings. I went to Edit Options. I went to every possible link to see how to Disable App updates from Friends. No luck. Google too did not help. There was some stuff about how to do this on Firefox. I use Safari. I wasn't going to let this trivial thing make me switch browsers. I then noticed a small little "Hide" link next to every update on the feed. I clicked on it.

Aha! I found it!

There was a "Hide Farmville" link inside. Cleverly tucked away inside a menu. So that nobody could find it! But I am cleverer than they think I am.

I hit my laptop trackpad quite hard while clicking on the link, actually. It was a victory of sorts. I then went ahead and disabled every freaking application. Farmville, Mafia Wars, Dates, Meg, Anita. All of them.

Now, my Facebook feed looks so much better. Almost like its had a nice shower. Only the important stuff. No chaff.

Comments

Miriam LB said…
But, Kamal, I want to send you a lonely cow to adopt. LOL!
Kamal D Shah said…
:-) thankfully I haven't got hooked to Farmville yet Miriam!
Diane Franks said…
Thank You! Google did help, it found me your post! I no longer have to endure mafia wars! Mind you .. my facebook now looks a bit lonely, lol .. maybe I have to post a bit more to get replies!
Kamal D Shah said…
That is a real coincidence Diane!

Hope all is well,

Kamal