[blhack]

If you are as confused by OPs talking about 800lb gorillas and soforth as I was:

Snapchat is a picture sharing application that uses facebook's API.

Poke is a competitor that facebook made.

OP is implying that facebook saw Snapchat's beginning success by seeing how many API calls they were making and then copied snapchat, instead of buying them.

Thus: OP is implying that Facebook uses its API to see up-and-comers in the social space, and then copies them.

(Trojan Horse was very confusing here. Typcially "Trojan Horse", used in this case, would mean that facebook was actually controlling snapchat interactions beyond what snapchat intended.)

Personally I don't think that this is a very unique idea, and calling facebook's API a "trojan horse" over it is absurd.

Buying out a company isn't done for honor, it's done for value. Facebook doesn't buy you because it's the "right" thing to do because you "beat them to it" with an idea. They do it because it's easier for them to do so than to build a copy. Maybe this means they're buying some IP, or a community, or some talent or something, but it has nothing to do with "because it's the right thing to do".

---

Snapchat: http://www.snapchat.com/#

Poke: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook-poke/id588594730?mt...

[dcope]

Where do you get the idea that Snapchat uses the Facebook API? I have the app and I see no signs of it and I can't find any mention of it on their website.

[kamakazizuru]

I dont get why this is surprising or absurd? People keep forgetting that nothing is free. The Facebook API maybe free - but the price you pay is to give facebook a cheap way to find out what other use cases their data, infrastructure and ecosystem can have. Similar to how facebook uses your activity within the network to find ways to make money and sell things to you and 3rd parties. Just look back a few days ago at the instagram flip-flop.

This is also a part of being a member of the free-market - companies copy each other all the time - when an FMCG launches a new type of __ (insert consumer good of choice here) - its only a matter of time before all the other players launch a variant. Its a part of remaining relevant and competitive - and it keeps everyone on their feet - I'd say its a great thing! In fact - maybe the snapchat guys should look out for complaints that people have about the Poke app - and use that to improve their own app as well. The only scenario where I´d call this a "bad guy" move on Facebook´s part is if they were to also simultaneously limit Snapchats access to the FB API - and I dont know that to be the case so far!

[loceng]

They wouldn't of had the data otherwise. But I am sure Facebook keeps an eye on anything with high API calls, etc.. It'd be best to avoid using APIs if you don't want the owners seeing your success.

[batgaijin]

Well I think his argument is that basically instagram was the last great acquisition; it launched while Facebook had a very weak position in regards to mobile app development.

[leemhoffman]

Thanks for expanding this out, I jotted this out as a quick thought, without probably giving context to people who haven't been following the story over the last couple days.

[sp332]

It's a trojan horse because something presented as a gift (or at least something good for you) is actually used to attack and conquer you when your guard is down.