Google Friend Connect Accessory Stopped Working For Some Custom Domain Published Blogs

We are observing owners of a few Blogger blogs reporting that the popular Google Friend Connect accessory, as suggested last year, recently stopped working, on their blogs.

I have a Blogger blog but I'm using a custom domain (not purchased through Blogger though) - and my Google Friend Connect is gone now, just like they announced it, concerning the other non-Blogger blogs.

From a brief check of several blogs reporting this change, it appears that blogs published to non BlogSpot URLs, using custom domain publishing with incorrect DNS setups, are being treated as non Blogger blogs. The Following / Google Friend Connect accessory, on those blogs, is now stopped.

Last year, we were informed that Google was going to stop providing the immensely popular Following / Google Friend Connect gadget for websites outside Blogger. It appears that the referenced change is now in effect - and Google Friend Connect is no longer a non Blogger accessory.

Since Blogger blogs can be published to BlogSpot URLs (using native settings) - or to any available non BlogSpot URL (using custom domain publishing), it's not a simple process to identify a Blogger blog. It appears that Blogger blogs published to non BlogSpot URLs, using custom domain publishing, are being treated as non Blogger blogs - when the domain DNS addresses redirect incorrectly.

For some Blogger blog owners, who have been using (marginally) incorrect DNS addressing for their custom domain published blogs, and whose Following / Google Friend Connect gadgets have stopped working, the task is simple.

1. Correct the DNS addresses.
2. Re publish the blog.

The detail, that not all blog owners will find this an immediately convenient project, is unfortunate.

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