What might a suit against MySpace be for disabling widgets? I'm sure they are the final authority on what is allowed and what isn't allowed on their pages.
Mik
· 2 years ago
It's just a matter of time where either these widgets are blocked, or only allowed for certain partners who pay myspace a fee of some sort.
Wiley
· 2 years ago
It amazes me what passes for "press-worthy" news these days.
Pete Cashmore
· 2 years ago
Wiley,
Uh...a change that could affect the majority of our readers isn't newsworthy?
Steven Bao
· 2 years ago
It definitely affects me, as I do have a Twitter widget on my never-used MySpace page. But I do realize that many people do use MySpace, and disabling Flash is not a very good idea.
Nick
· 2 years ago
This is freaking me out. Do anyone have any insight on what they are up to? Are myspace going to do a certification program of allowed widgets?
mike
· 2 years ago
Its definitely press-worthly, a lot of mashable readers will be involved in sites that will already have myspace flash plugins - or if not then it will definitely be somewhere on their road maps.
AL
· 2 years ago
I will leave Myspace forever if they block Flash. Not only are most all of my profiles entirely Flash-based, but I make Flash profiles for others, too. A network-wide block against Flash would be enough to push me away.
g
· 2 years ago
Perhaps we should do an online protest against Myspace? Create a website and make people sign a petition against blocking myspace where people say hey intend to leave myspace or install firefox ad-block if myspace blocks their embedded flash movies?
SearchTheWeb2
· 2 years ago
What is wrong with your newest post " Genius.com Funded, Blogster Sale, NYTimes... " ?
Did you remove it?
John Dowdell
· 2 years ago
Thanks for bringing together the reports and updating the story, Pete.
jd/adobe
Alessandra
· 2 years ago
I'm sure many widget creators like me had a mini heart attack reading this :) Our widgets at BlingyBlob.com are working on MySpace.
I don't understand why MySpace has disabled Flash a couple times. Flash widgets contribute to the growth of MySpace, since these widgets give users many ways to spice up their page.
Thanks for the post! Many people were unaware.
Chris Bennett
· 2 years ago
Before: MySpace required embed tags to embed Flash content. The preferred method was to embed via the object tag, but that was completely stripped out by MySpace.
This morning: MySpace began rolling out a change that would block embed tags, but allow object tags for embedded content. This caused some users to report stickers as "not working."
This morning + n hours: MySpace finished the change that converted a user's embed tags to properly formatted object tags and therefore allowed.
Soon, all embedded objects on MySpace will be using object instead of embed. The previous restrictions such as "allownetworking = internal", "allowScriptAccess = never", "enableJSURL = false", and "enableHREF = false" all remain. One new FlashVar I do not recognize is "saveEmbedTags = true" which is probably an internal flag to MySpace.
This is probably part of a larger, more-intelligent Flash filtering solution that would lend itself to a situation where MySpace acts as a gatekeeper to Flash stickers (as discussed).
CLARY
· 2 years ago
SO HOW WOULD I BE ABLE TO CHANGE THIS CODE BELOW TO WORK?
Paul
· 2 years ago
We have a dynamic flash widget used by MySpace members and I haven't noticed any unusual activity or drop in click-throughs to our site. If they did ban Flash it would certainly be a bit of a body-blow for us.
Geoff
· 2 years ago
IMHO MySpace can do whatever they want with their site. It is their site. If they want to block Flash, fine. If you're a company that relies solely on another company, and you have no contract with that company, then you are playing a risky game. I say this as a person who owns a site that gets a lot of his traffic from MySpace.
Pete Cashmore
· 2 years ago
Geoff,
By that logic, Google could also block any site it doesn't like from its index for no good reason (ie. Yahoo), and anyone who gets traffic from search is an idiot for relying on search traffic. That would mean...almost every site on the web (Google actually pushed the limits here by trying to promote their own products as a "tip", before they were pressured to cease that practice). Or Microsoft could kill off any Windows application in favor of its own products (they've already been convicted of monopolistic behavior). In fact, I don't own my phone line - it's my telco's line, so maybe they should decide what goes through it (ie. the net neutrality debate). At some point, these services become platforms, and at least some communication with developers would be appreciated.
But yeah, all widget developers are playing a high risk game. But as you know, the rewards are also high, and that's the nature of business. The riskiest social startup of last year - YouTube - scored one of the highest acquisition prices. Wouldn't you rather go all or nothing than end up with something mediocre?
Julia
· 2 years ago
People are still using Myspace? Myspace is so 2006......ugh.... I can't wait till VIRB.com comes out it will take over the whole social network scene. Goobye Myspace.....goodbye...so long to corporate social networks.....
Pete Cashmore
· 2 years ago
Julia,
Wishful thinking. ;)
Saïd Amin
· 2 years ago
In time the site will increasingly be less about me and "my space" and more about "News Corps Space". I don't see anything wrong with charging widget companies who make money off MySpace traffic a fee but I suspect that they will push the envelope much further than this...time will tell.
Peace!
-Saïd
bunnyhero
· 2 years ago
i got a few tech support emails today regarding my pets not being embeddable into myspace. what's interesting is that i looked at the code on their profiles and the embed tag was transformed quite a bit more than is usual on myspace. usually myspace just add attributes like 'allowNetworking="internal"' and such, but this time the embed tag was completely reformatted and [param] tags inserted, as though it was to be used by an [object] tag.
curiouser and curiouser!
bunnyhero
· 2 years ago
oh, sorry, i didn't read comment #14 fully. yeah, that seems to be a reasonable guess...
JAcob Heinz
· 2 years ago
They did not disable flash, they replaced the embed tag with an object tag. This allow them to run flash without the security weakness of embedding the flash file into the page. Simple, embed tags tell the flash file to run like is it coming from a myspace server - which gives you access to server related things like cookies. The object tag works the same but limits the contact you have with the myspace server.
They would not need to do all these changes if people would just use myspace the way it was intended. All these changes are to help protect your account and your experience on myspace.
John Dowdell
· 2 years ago
For what it's worth, #26 seems to have some technical inaccuracies... the Adobe Flash Player processes SWFs from the SWF's domain, and the browser handles the HTML from the HTML's domain.
There are cases where you have browser/plugin intercommunication where the domains can become confused, as in the Acrobat Reader scare of earlier this month (js requests passed by older Readers could sometimes not have the domains properly understood by some browsers), but the browser handles the OBJECT/EMBED, rather than the Player.
I'm not sure of the hypothesis that "OBJECT tag is more secure"... the only evidence I've seen so far is that this tag passed the W3C Validators, and I've seen discrepancies in many browsers when they do not receive the EMBED. I haven't seen situations where browsers get confused about the domain depending on whether OBJECT or EMBED is used.
Summary: I'm not sure yet of MySpace's thinking. I wish they had some type of reliable public communication, though.
jd/adobe
bunnyhero
· 2 years ago
aha!
i've been playing around a little more, and it seems that the new filtering blocks QUICKTIME completely!
i can now see why they don't use "embed" at ALL: the object tag can force the mimetype of the embedded content, whereas the embed tag cannot (i believe). in the past, myspace has tried to block certain kinds of embedded content via filename extension, but that can be easily circumvented on the server side (e.g. serving up a quicktime movie that is named 'movie.swf'). now ALL embeds are forced to be flash, so even if you try to serve up a quicktime movie (or some other kind of media), it'll be loaded by the flash plugin. no more quicktime worms... and no more quicktime of any sort on myspace.
bunnyhero
· 2 years ago
hmmm. i was wrong, the embed tag does have a type attribute as well. i shouldn't post at 5 AM, haha. regardless, the filtering breaks quicktime completely.
Infect Design
· 2 years ago
The loss of the embed tag has hurt me. I've been designing myspace pages and the object tag does not work in the Firefox browser, so everything that i try to absolute position with css code doesn't work anymore.
in the IE7 browser it recognizes the object tag and i can position the flash players whereever i want. but if you look at the same site in Firefox i can't absolute position it correctly.
My widgets on my page are not working. I had a black ipod and a sober days counter on my page and neither of them are working.
Schnurr
· 2 years ago
It sucks that myspace disabled Flash. My myspace was 100% flash, and now the "no external links" really screws me up.
Ken
· 2 years ago
This is Feb 17, 2007 and I cannot embed my own Flash into Myspace. I've tried every kind of tag and variance possible.
Pete Cashmore
· 2 years ago
Ken,
Hmm...YouTube embeds work for me. What are you trying to embed?
Ken
· 2 years ago
MY own, personal Flash application will not load in Myspace. A Flash app I just finished building. It gives the "Movie not loaded" thing.
Mac
· 2 years ago
So does anyone know how to add a quicktime video reliably? I can't get it to stay. Myspace keeps replacing the code with ..
secret
· 2 years ago
the song i want in my page isn't in myspace..i hate it!!! put the embed back pleeeeease!!!
netsecur
· 2 years ago
They shut off adding HTML comments too! The only way I can add comments now is by alt=""
Jennifer
· 2 years ago
As of a few minutes ago, I still can't get my flash mp3 player to work on my page...myspace is still altering the code I put in...the player shows up, but won't play the songs. Sigh..wish they'd fix this already.
ammi
· 2 years ago
ur retaded hoo is pathetic enough 2 go on dis
Brittany H.
· 2 years ago
This is so stupid !!! I have been trying to get on myspace for ever and everytime i use concealme it takes 4ever to load up everythign or i cant write m,essages to people or something this shit is so stupid !! does anyone know any other sites i can go to so i can get around the block?
Dempsie
· 2 years ago
I don't get it to be honest... I have a flash-based app on myspace that will not link to another page but will allow emails to be sent from it... maybe this is a way around the block???
CoreyFate
· 2 years ago
I believe it's against a person's rights. Myspace should not carter to the rich and allowing them to install Flash. What is the harm being caused by installing Flash? None, not a damn thing,it's suppose to be a free service but some upper idiot said hmmmm we won't allow Flash now???? Makes no sense to me. And replying this comment "I’m sure they are the final authority on what is allowed and what isn’t allowed on their pages". This is a public site,a free service where people go to make friends and promote there work,if it wasn't for the people on it the thing wouldn't exsist. THE END.
Kate
· 2 years ago
It seems that myspace has locked out most all flash my webpage was made of mostly flash in which is now more html my flash navbar that I work on for a week now dose not open links... I've learned how to build a page on my own from myspace in about 1 month of reading and understanding and wish myspace would just allow alittle more freeeeeeedom
PigPen
· 2 years ago
This really sucks, i have a really girly song on my myspace, and right when i feel like changing it, myspace disabled my flash, so now i have to way to change my music. fyi girly songs dont go well on a hardcore myspace page :(
Raf
· 2 years ago
My external flash audio player doesn't work since 3 days... Under firefox & IE but is ok with safari... Strange Strange Strange... I can't understand...
Shret
· 2 years ago
Myspace couldnt do that. They would be hippocrits. Their ads are now in flash!!
josh
· 1 year ago
I have noticed that Myspace has taken ideas from the creator from Facebook.... I am a huge fan of myspace but it not the idea from taking other peoples ideas
Carl Romain
· 8 months ago
My space? I found it to be not that friendly in the users sense. I joined a few months back added my profile and ended up with a lot of junk. May be it is OK for the younger generation but I know I will be staying with facebook and twitter.
Thomas Patrick
· 4 months ago
from thomaspatrick: as of 08-04-09 flash has disabled any outgoing comunication with the flash player. I spent all nite making a widget for a client then again all day trying to debug the application to find out it was myspace screwing me. I cant bill for that time. Im pissed.
allannux
· 2 months ago
Did you say Adblock? I been using it for ages against the myspace dictatorship. They suck n is just a matter of time before that crap hole goes down. they think that enforcing restrictions n telling people what and what not to do is going to work? just wait and see...
the internet has always a fre place and they ill not change that. they are digging their own grave.
google = open = atractive to people = money. myspace is the opposite end to open and freedom.
All Comments
Uh...a change that could affect the majority of our readers isn't newsworthy?
Did you remove it?
jd/adobe
I don't understand why MySpace has disabled Flash a couple times. Flash widgets contribute to the growth of MySpace, since these widgets give users many ways to spice up their page.
Thanks for the post! Many people were unaware.
MySpace required embed tags to embed Flash content. The preferred method was to embed via the object tag, but that was completely stripped out by MySpace.
This morning:
MySpace began rolling out a change that would block embed tags, but allow object tags for embedded content. This caused some users to report stickers as "not working."
This morning + n hours:
MySpace finished the change that converted a user's embed tags to properly formatted object tags and therefore allowed.
Soon, all embedded objects on MySpace will be using object instead of embed. The previous restrictions such as "allownetworking = internal", "allowScriptAccess = never", "enableJSURL = false", and "enableHREF = false" all remain. One new FlashVar I do not recognize is "saveEmbedTags = true" which is probably an internal flag to MySpace.
This is probably part of a larger, more-intelligent Flash filtering solution that would lend itself to a situation where MySpace acts as a gatekeeper to Flash stickers (as discussed).
By that logic, Google could also block any site it doesn't like from its index for no good reason (ie. Yahoo), and anyone who gets traffic from search is an idiot for relying on search traffic. That would mean...almost every site on the web (Google actually pushed the limits here by trying to promote their own products as a "tip", before they were pressured to cease that practice). Or Microsoft could kill off any Windows application in favor of its own products (they've already been convicted of monopolistic behavior). In fact, I don't own my phone line - it's my telco's line, so maybe they should decide what goes through it (ie. the net neutrality debate). At some point, these services become platforms, and at least some communication with developers would be appreciated.
But yeah, all widget developers are playing a high risk game. But as you know, the rewards are also high, and that's the nature of business. The riskiest social startup of last year - YouTube - scored one of the highest acquisition prices. Wouldn't you rather go all or nothing than end up with something mediocre?
I can't wait till VIRB.com comes out it will take over the whole social network scene. Goobye Myspace.....goodbye...so long to corporate social networks.....
Wishful thinking. ;)
Peace!
-Saïd
curiouser and curiouser!
They would not need to do all these changes if people would just use myspace the way it was intended. All these changes are to help protect your account and your experience on myspace.
There are cases where you have browser/plugin intercommunication where the domains can become confused, as in the Acrobat Reader scare of earlier this month (js requests passed by older Readers could sometimes not have the domains properly understood by some browsers), but the browser handles the OBJECT/EMBED, rather than the Player.
I'm not sure of the hypothesis that "OBJECT tag is more secure"... the only evidence I've seen so far is that this tag passed the W3C Validators, and I've seen discrepancies in many browsers when they do not receive the EMBED. I haven't seen situations where browsers get confused about the domain depending on whether OBJECT or EMBED is used.
Summary: I'm not sure yet of MySpace's thinking. I wish they had some type of reliable public communication, though.
jd/adobe
i've been playing around a little more, and it seems that the new filtering blocks QUICKTIME completely!
i can now see why they don't use "embed" at ALL: the object tag can force the mimetype of the embedded content, whereas the embed tag cannot (i believe). in the past, myspace has tried to block certain kinds of embedded content via filename extension, but that can be easily circumvented on the server side (e.g. serving up a quicktime movie that is named 'movie.swf'). now ALL embeds are forced to be flash, so even if you try to serve up a quicktime movie (or some other kind of media), it'll be loaded by the flash plugin. no more quicktime worms... and no more quicktime of any sort on myspace.
you can see what i'm writing about if you go to http://www.myspace.com/djheadhoncho
in the IE7 browser it recognizes the object tag and i can position the flash players whereever i want. but if you look at the same site in Firefox i can't absolute position it correctly.
if anyone knows of a work around this.
please email me at infectthesystem@gmail.com
Hmm...YouTube embeds work for me. What are you trying to embed?
Strange Strange Strange... I can't understand...
as of 08-04-09 flash has disabled any outgoing comunication with the flash player.
I spent all nite making a widget for a client then again all day trying to debug the application to find out it was myspace screwing me. I cant bill for that time. Im pissed.
the internet has always a fre place and they ill not change that. they are digging their own grave.
google = open = atractive to people = money.
myspace is the opposite end to open and freedom.