Meta App Development

Data Use Checkup

Data Use Checkup (DUC) is an annual requirement whereby you, or another app Administrator, must certify that your API access and data usage are in compliance with our Platform Terms and Developer Policies.

You will receive developer notifications in your alerts inbox indicating that DUC is required 60 days, 30 days, 10 days, and 3 days before your DUC deadline. If you do not complete DUC by your deadline, your app will be deactivated.

DUC is required for apps that have access to permissions or features that have been approved through the App Review process or that have been approved automatically. Note that for business and consumer apps, DUC is not required for an app with Standard Access to permissions and features. If an app is approved for Advanced Access to a permission or feature, an app admin will need to complete DUC for that app. In addition, apps do not need to complete DUC while they are in Development mode, but will need to complete DUC before they can be switched to Live mode.

Beginning September 5, some developers may also be required to answer data handling questions during their annual Data Use Checkup.

Completing DUC

You or any Facebook developer with an Administrator role on your app can start the DUC process by loading the app in the App Dashboard, going to the Alerts > Inbox panel, and clicking the link in the urgent developer notification pertaining to DUC. DUC can also be started by clicking the link in the Required Actions section of the Dashboard panel. You can also go to the apps panel and select multiple apps that require DUC and complete DUC for all of them at the same time.

When you start the process, you'll be presented with an interface that allows you to certify your data use for each permission, feature, or product that your app can access, and your compliance with our Platform Terms and Developer Policies:

To complete DUC:

  1. Read the description for each permission, feature, or product and check the box to certify that your app is in compliance with the allowed usage.
  2. Click Continue.
  3. Check the box to certify you will be in compliance with our Platform Terms and Developer Policies, then click Continue.
  4. Click Submit to complete the checkup.

What is Allowed Usage?

The general description of how an app can use Platform Data accessed through a particular permission, feature or other API integration. Allowed usage is different from the detailed description submitted by an app admin through App Review, which specifies how their app will use the requested data, how it adds value for a person using the app and why it's necessary for app functionality.

Change Data Access Levels

Note that DUC will not be required for an app if an app admin changes all data access levels to Standard Access or No Access. Also remember that, although you can complete DUC for multiple apps at the same, you change data access levels on a per-app basis. For more information, see Changing Access Levels.

Deadline

Deadlines are unique to each app and will be displayed in your developer notification, the app dashboard banner, and the apps panel.

App Deactivation

If you fail to complete DUC by the deadline our APIs will reject all queries made by your app until DUC is completed.

More information

To read common questions and answers regarding DUC, see the Data Use Checkup section on the Developer FAQ page.