Facebook Blocking Google+ Invite Posts?

Reports surfaced today that Facebook may be blocking posts that encourage users to try out rival social network, Google+. A video was posted this morning by a Google employee pointing out something peculiar he noticed about how his friends' news feeds would show his regular status updates but would exclude one's with a link to Google+.

The video was subsequently linked to by Google senior VP Vic Gundotra, who asked on Google+ whether others were experiencing this same problem. He notes that the company was "getting reports" from other users of this behavior. This, of course, sparked speculation that Facebook may be intentionally blocking Google+ related posts.

However, Facebook disagrees and has responded saying that the company could not duplicate the same problem as depicted in the video. The company also noted that they have display-filtering technology that help prevent spam and thus could exclude certain links from re-appearing on a user's news feed if it had previously been posted several times.

Additionally, there are others that speculate this could be a Google gimmick to spur distrust for the Facebook platform while bringing more attention to Google. CNET was also unable to duplicate the problem while other users from Gundotra's Google+ thread reported mixed results.

[via CNET]