Packing my facebook bags prior to an extended absence
June 10, 2010 6:30 PM

Is there a relatively painless way to export or scrape my Facebook data?

Specifically, I'd like to export my friend lists and their contact info, copies of links and status updates, and the accompanying discussions.

I have access to a PC and a Mac.
posted by mecran01 to Computers & Internet (15 answers total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
I use backupify to back up my facebook and twitter accounts. Works pretty flawlessly. It backs up my stuff once a week.
posted by jourman2 at 6:32 PM on June 10, 2010


Do you have an iPhone? You can sync your Facebook contacts with your iPhone and then sync them to your computer.
posted by Lizsterr at 6:33 PM on June 10, 2010


This post describes how to do it in Yahoo (same thing stoneweaver referenced), and how to then import those into Gmail if you prefer.
posted by Jaltcoh at 6:50 PM on June 10, 2010


It doesn't get contact info but I just click on older posts a few times and print the whole thing to PDF using something like CutePDF.
posted by monkeymadness at 7:11 PM on June 10, 2010


I'll try these out and report back, thanks!

Oh, and here's a link sent to me directly:

http://www.labnol.org/internet/export-email-addresses-from-facebook/12970/
posted by mecran01 at 7:25 PM on June 10, 2010


Unless it has changed since I last looked at it, the Facebook iPhone app doesn't really sync your friends' contact info to your phone. It merely adds pictures and Facebook links to existing contacts. Worse, it uploads the entire contents of your address book to Facebook, regardless of whether or not your contacts are Facebook users. Please don't do this.
posted by thinman at 8:09 PM on June 10, 2010


Lifehacker had a post on how to do this just a few days ago.
posted by Jairus at 10:31 PM on June 10, 2010


I haven't been able to get backupify to work, but I found another application, called "give me my data" I think, that's working for me.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:11 PM on June 10, 2010


gingerbeer, mind posting that link?
posted by canine epigram at 7:07 AM on June 11, 2010


Think he's talking about this Facebook app - Give Me My Data.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:08 AM on June 11, 2010


She. Yes.

Give Me My Data.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:51 AM on June 11, 2010


Oops, sorry!
posted by Happy Dave at 10:52 AM on June 11, 2010


Backupify does not allow you to export your entire archive with the free account. You've got to shell out $39.95/yr.

I'll try the rest and report back.
posted by mecran01 at 7:58 PM on June 11, 2010


When I try to reclaim my status updates with "Give Me My Data" I get:

"Either there is no data like that or there was an error. Feel free to try again."
posted by mecran01 at 8:01 PM on June 11, 2010


Ok, "Give Me My Data" worked, but it's fairly buggy.
posted by mecran01 at 10:37 PM on June 11, 2010


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