Can we import and display Facebook comments on our social media site?

Question

I'm implementing a startup social media site where users post product reviews and other opinions. One of the features is a Facebook Share function.

The business owners are interested in using the Facebook Graph API to track posts which users share on Facebook. They would like to "monitor" comments and other activity that occurs on Facebook for our posts that our users have shared.

Technically, my understanding is that this is possible. Are we allowed to import these comments for display on our site? We are looking for options that would let us integrate or "redisplay" comment activity that occurred on Facebook but about a post on our site. Would this be problematic from a legal standpoint? We would rather stay away from official Facebook "comments plugins" and other such tools - and retain full control over the way that such comments are displayed on our site.

Answer 1

Are we allowed to import these comments for display on our site?

Technically speaking (and if I understand your issue well), those comments are not generated on your platform in the first place, so they cannot be covered by some kind of agreement between the user who created them and you. It is more like you are willing to import something your don't own from Facebook.

So, doing it without their consent would be problematic from a legal point of view. The safe solution would be to find a way to have you user comment on your site.

Answer 2

Yes!

You can use Facebook Comments Plugin and enable comments mirroring with your website.

Limitation: mirroring tracks you initial post on your public Facebook page. It doesn't follow shares and comments on other person's walls.

Doc: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/comments/