After an intial failed attempt, Hulu has re-launched Facebook Connect, a feature which allows users to share with their Facebook friends what they are currently viewing on Hulu. This comes with a one month free trial of Hulu Plus, which normally costs $7.99 per month.
On July 1, Hulu first attempted to launch the Facebook integration feature. Unfortunately, when users tried to connect, they were given access to other users’ accounts, leading to a number of obvious security concerns. After complaints from Hulu users on Twitter, the company announced their regret for this botched attempt and took all the blame for the security breach. They assured users that no user data had been compromised.
The Facebook Connect feature automatically shares whatever the user is watching by embedding it on the user’s Facebook wall. Any comments and other site interactions are also posted. Privacy features are included for users who do not want to share everything with their Facebook friends.
Will users sign up, though? According to Mashwork, more Twitter users prefer Netflix over Hulu Plus. With the initial botched attempt that potentially compromised user data, the gaining popularity of NetFlix (current fuss over pricing set aside for now), and other privacy concerns, users may not be beating a path to Hulu Plus’s door.
