Through APIs: How to get publicly sharable link of a Facebook Album that is locked or set to private? - facebook

Question

Is there a way to get the public link of a Facebook Album through the Facebook API (graph/fql) that can be shared with those who are not on Facebook?
This Album is not publicly accessible. It is restricted by the share permissions on the album set by the user. But I am looking for a way to generate the public link of this restricted album so whoever is sent this link can view the album unconditionally.
I know this is possible through the Share Album feature on the Facebook website through the Share Dialog: You can send this album to friends or relatives by giving them a link.
I couldn't find a way to to this in the Graph API.
EDIT: I'm talking about the public link that is available through this feature on facebook: facebook.com/help/124590517619792

Answer 1

You didn't provide an example or test case, nor any API code to work with. I'll use the following links for Facebook User Name Hostess as an example (long live Twinkies!).:
Main: https://www.facebook.com/Hostess
Photo Album: https://www.facebook.com/Hostess/photos_albums
First, we will need the Facebook User Number.
You can perform a GET request or type this into the browser:
Facebook User Info: http://graph.facebook.com/Hostess
To continue with this example, we will use the Facebook Number provided by the previous step:
Facebook ID: 145369525544570
Is there a way to get the public link of a Facebook Album through the
Facebook API (graph/fql) that can be shared with those who are not on
Facebook?
Yes there's a way! This link will provide you with json results for all albums, in this case 6:
Facebook Albums via json: http://graph.facebook.com/145369525544570/albums
To limit the returned results, you can use ?limit=1 (where 1 is the amount of albums returned):
Facebook Album (1) via json: http://graph.facebook.com/145369525544570/albums?limit=1
This Album is not publicly accessible. It is restricted by the share
permissions on the album set by the user. But I am looking for a way
to generate the public link of this restricted album so whoever is
sent this link can view the album unconditionally.
Your out of luck and there isn't a way. However, you don't have to be a Facebook Member to view the images in the Album. Using the json data from the previous step works when the Album is made public. Just use a simple GET request:
jsFiddle DEMO: Facebook Albums Links from Facebook ID
// Console log messages are provided, activate your browsers console.
$.ajax({
url: 'http://graph.facebook.com/145369525544570/albums',
dataType: "json",
success: function(yourVar) {
// Make sure the request, 1 json object, was returned.
if (yourVar) {
console.log('This is the jQuery Object received. Click on it to explore contents');
console.log(yourVar);
// This will parse the Objects received in 'data' variable.
// Having said that, it's coincidental the data the wrapped in a 'data' name.
$(yourVar.data).each(function(index) {
// Only process Objects that have valid Album links.
// Having said that, only Photo Albums are returned in initial data, not Video Albums.
if(this.link){
// Display in console the jQuery zero indexed number
console.info('Album Index object: ' + index);
//
// Display in HTML via append, the same information.
$('body').append('<b>Album Index Object: </b>' + index + '<br />');
// Display in console the Album Names available
console.info('Name: ' + this.name);
//
// Display in HTML via append, the same information.
$('body').append('<b>Name: </b>' + this.name + '<br />');
// Display in console the Album Name Url;
console.log('Url: ' + this.link);
//
// Display in HTML via append, the same information.
$('body').append('<b>Url: </b>' + this.link + '<br />');
// Display in console dashed lines before next item is shown.
console.log('-------');
//
// Display in HTML via append, the same information.
$('body').append('<hr><br /><br />');
}
});
} else {
console.log('Was data expected? Check your jQuery or JavaScript for errors.');
}
}
});
// Power-Tip!
// You can also use .ajax() with a YQL Rest Query url.
// See YQL Console with Rest Statement at:
// http://developer.yahoo.com/yql/console/?q=SELECT%20data.link%20FROM%20json%20WHERE%20url%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fgraph.facebook.com%2F145369525544570%2Falbums%22&env=store%3A%2F%2Fdatatables.org%2Falltableswithkeys
// As seen there, the data.link is providing just the links.
// Change data.link to * to see all data nodes available in json tree.
// That being said, your .ajax() url for above is at the bottom: The Rest Query.

Answer 2

In Detail: Why it can't be done. (otherwise it's a security issue!!!)
Facebook Settings for Photos and Albums:
When I share something, how do I choose who can see it?
The above Facebook documentation states that if a Album is set to Private via Only Me, then it will only be available to you, even though you may have a shareable link for it.
To demonstrate that the Album/Photos is indeed locked and not shareable, here is an actual live test using Yahoo! Query Language to perform a request on a locked photo album:
Feel free to click the image to visit the above YQL Statement.
To be sure, the above example in itself shows that the link is not the issue, it's the content that is really the subject, as that's the item locked for which a Facebook Token key is required.