Meta Guidelines and Policy on the use of Automated Bots

Responsiveness Guideline

The policy regarding responsiveness mandates that automated bots promptly engage with all user inputs, encompassing freeform text, quick replies, CTA buttons, and persistent menu clicks. It's essential to note that the exclusion from this requirement applies specifically to the Get Started (welcome screen) button.

Even in cases where the composer is disabled, automated bots are expected to respond to any other available inputs.

To ensure a seamless conversational experience, automated bots must reply to user inputs within a 30-second timeframe.

Applicability to Bots

This responsiveness policy pertains to all bots identified as "automated" (as opposed to "hybrid" or "human") submitted for approval via the App Dashboard or the Discover submission form on the Messenger Platform.

Defining "Automated" Bots

The Messenger Platform classifies bots into three categories based on their communication style:

1. Automated bots: These bots have pre-programmed responses and operate without requiring manual intervention. For instance, a news and weather update bot doesn't necessitate manual responses from developers once set up.

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3. Manual Reply: Bots falling under this category have live representatives providing all responses. For example, a business bot using third-party CRM software to communicate with customers requires manual responses from the business representatives.

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5. Hybrid bots: These bots combine automated and human interactions. An example is an airline bot that allows users to check their flight status automatically but can also connect them to a human customer service representative for reservation changes.

Notifications for Policy Violations

In the event of a bot violating the functionality policy, Page admins will receive notifications through the Page Support Inbox. This notification will include a link to this documentation and instructions for rectifying the non-compliance.

Addressing Policy Violations

For bots designed to deliver an automated experience, adherence to responsiveness requirements is imperative. If a bot operates as a "hybrid" or "human" experience, updating the bot's response settings in Page Settings > Advanced Messaging is recommended.