Read public posts from "own" Facebook page's timeline - Pages API requires review and business verification

Question

For a recent PHP web project, I would like to import facebook posts from the customer's own facebook page to another web application. I planned to do this using a simple Graph query like:

GET /v3.0/{$pageId}/posts?fields=name,description,status_type,attachments{description,subattachments}

Unfortunately, due to the data leaks recently (March 2018) discussed in public media, Facebook has severely limited access to its Pages API. I get the response:

Facebook\Exceptions\FacebookAuthorizationException: (#10) To use 'Page Public Content Access', your use of this endpoint must be reviewed and approved by Facebook. To submit this 'Page Public Content Access' feature for review please read our documentation on reviewable features: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/apps/review.

Facebook now requires a review of the web application and a business verification for the use of the Pages API, at least until August 2018.

• Is there any other API that can be used for this simple usecase without those steps? I have access to Facebook accounts managing the one and only page I want to access.

• If you have any idea about the effort needed for review and business verification, I'd be grateful too. Also, I cannot disclose the app's source code, but it looks like this is not necessary?

Answer 1

From what I understand of your requirements, you could call this endpoint in stead: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/reference/v3.0/page/feed

This would not require the Page Public Content Access permission; but it may have to pass a review, if you plan to scale up the amount of users.

The review process consists in you describing your intents, uploading a screencast and, possibly (not necessarily), prove the existence of your business.

Edit: If you don't plan on scaling the amount of users, try and putting your app in dev mode (the opposite of Live) - it's a switch in the upper right corner of the page. The app will be accessible to you as if it had been published - so no review process, no proof of existence of a company.