Facebook launches Fan Boxes

Facebook has launched a new tool allowing public figures and organisations to embed their updates and news for their fans on the social network into their own websites.

Thursday, 9 July 2009

This means that Facebook members can keep up to date with the people and organisations that they are fans of without going to the social networking website by accessing Fan Boxes on other sites.

The Fan Box displays the same news and updates that users see in their Facebook News Feeds when they log in to the site.

Users can also become a fan of the business or person in question directly through the Fan Box if they have not previously done so.

"When I visit the websites of Kings of Leon, Lenny Kravitz or Roger Federer, I not only see their exclusive content but also the personal updates they're posting directly on Facebook including status updates, photos, videos and much more," comments Mark Kinsey, product manager for Facebook.

The news comes shortly after Facebook announced that all website owners can now install a Live Stream box on their sites to enable users to post status updates and comments to the social network alongside a live video streaming event.

This technology was first used by CNN during its live online coverage of the US presidential inauguration earlier this year, with more than one million comments and updates being posted by users during the event.

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