Facebook has decided to disable the Whopper Sacrifice application. It’s interesting that they would shut down an application that has proved so popular, but perhaps for Facebook, an application that reduces your friend list is bad for business? I can’t think of any other reason they would do so.  Over the time that the Whopper Sacrifice campaign was live, 233,906 friends were sacrificed by Facebook users in the pursuit of a free Whopper.

Update: TechCrunch is reporting that Facebook is citing “privacy issues” as the reason they have disabled the application.

35 Responses

  2. Mac Donald

    You will never beat me! Ricardo Montalban switched over to your whopper just last night, and you see how he ended up.
    BIGMACK!

    Reply
  3. Brett

    Pretty crazy, business being the primary conceivable reason they would shut it down. Wonder if they would do the equivalent if it was a facebook-member created app…

    Reply
  4. Anonymous

    change that to a big buford and id sacrifice my entire facebook site…
    oh wait, i already did.

    Reply
  6. Shawn

    I just find it amazing what people will do to get something for free or at a discount. On the other hand I already know which of my friends I would have gotten rid to get the free whopper.

    Reply
  7. Lindsey

    I disagree with the author’s interpretation of this situation. This app was probably shut down because it goes against the entire point of facebook. Doesn’t have anything to do with making money. I mean, why would facebook lose profit simply because someone deleted 10 friends that were probably random people who friended them who they don’t know or care about?

    Reply
  8. Mike

    Shawn, be real. Are you telling me that you don’t have any friends on facebook who you NEVER talk to anymore? Really, it’s not that hard to see. I would certainly cut some terrible people I’ve added to save a few bucks. Everyone’s got ’em, and if I can clean my list while getting a free burger, that’s even friggin sweeter.

    Reply
  10. Scarlett

    I have several facebook “friends” that I would sacrifice for a piece of fast food. In fact, I don’t really care for half of the people who have “friended” me! I’d sacrifice them for a lot less!

    Reply
  11. rossitron

    i think this is a great ad campaign. i think the idea behind the app was to get attention for a new burger, and that’s what it did. and now it’s in the news doubly because facebook is shutting it down. and it was some naughty, but innocent, fun for anyone who participated.

    shawn, i think you’re a little off on this one. it’s really not a huge deal to delete someone, especially someone you haven’t talked to in years. it’s hardly anything that would warrant the sort of knee-jerk “oh-my-goodness-i-can’t-believe -they-did-THAT-for-a-free-burger” reaction or the “amazing what people will do to get something for free” reaction you had. just sayin.

    Reply
  13. Dan

    The Facebook shutdown was likely planned. It’s good to end the campaign quickly, while it’s still fresh on everyone’s minds.

    Reply
  15. Hillary

    Facebook now has censorship?! Do they really need more pageviews? I missed your original post on the Whopper Sacrifice – pretty funny idea from Burger King!

    Reply
  16. Chris

    I heard about this on the radio this morning. I was looking forward to sacrificing some “friends” after work.

    I am surprised facebook didn’t see the potential for people to actually increase page views by friending strangers only to sacrifice them. Maybe it’s the whole stalker mentality they don’t want to promote…

    Reply

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