Instagram login is deprecated and the documentation on Auth0 is broken

[davidyatez]

Currently, the documentation on Auth0’s website is directing users to follow Facebook Graph API’s setup procedure while this is only relevant if users want to have Facebook login in their applications.

The mentioned steps for connecting the Instagram Business account are all related to APIs available to manage the Instagram Business accounts (which none of them includes the login functionality).

Even on Auth0 itself, the functionality only works when the user uses API credentials retrieved from the old Instagram developer panel, which currently only issues credentials in sandbox mode and none of the apps requested to go live are going to be reviewed.

I saw a couple of reports (like this one) on this community mentioned that the users are facing Invalid Client ID error while following the documentation and no one even tried to help them. This error happens because credentials generated in Facebook’s Developer panel, are not valid when using on Instagram’s old developer panel’s API and only works for Facebook Login.

[team2]

That is unfortunate. Here are some related links I found on the Stackoverflow which are mentioning the same argument:

• Instagram login with the new Instagram Graph API (also look at the last reply where user says the review problem)
• Will be Instagram login totally deprecated
• Login with Instagram in iOS app using Instagram new graph API

I was working on this problem for a week now, but couldn’t find any document other than Auth0’s document on Instagram mentioning the usage of Graph API for Instagram login. If this is true, and the Instagram login API is deprecated, I assume it’s Auth0’s responsibility to inform their users before spending this amount of time without any progress…

[konrad.sopala]

Hey there everyone!

I’m not into this situation but it looks like Instagram API changed and our parts of stack using it didn’t. Let me research internally and get back to you with what I have to share!

[davidyatez]

@konrad.sopala Hi,
Could you find any update on this subject?

[konrad.sopala]

Hey there @davidyatez!

I just repinged appropriate teams. Probably didn’t have an answer back as it was Easter time. Will push this thing forward today and will see what I can get!

[konrad.sopala]

It seems like there is indeed some things going around with our stack and Instagram API. I was just asked to submit an internal support request so the appropriate team can take a look at it. I’ll let you know as soon as I have any updates!

[esuarez.gcc]

Hi!

I introduce correctly the Client Id and client secret, I click in “try” and I get back:
{
“error_type”: “OAuthException”,
“code”: 400,
“error_message”: “Invalid Client ID”
}

Thanks

[konrad.sopala]

Hey there @esuarez.gcc!

Do you still experience this issue? Let me know so I can potentially get to find the reason why it behaves in such way!

[team2]

I am facing the same problem. I followed this instruction to configure my application on Facebook’s developer panel. But I couldn’t submit the review since it asks for a screencast showing how the login process works, but I can’t develop the procedure before having the login process in place (kind of chicken and egg problem).

I’ve also noticed that on the top of the Getting Started guide by Facebook; they are alerting that users need to undergo the business verification process to use Instagram’s Graph API (and that needs screencast submission as well):

I tried to use the app in sandbox mode (where Facebook API’s work fine), hoping my Facebook connected Instagram app will benefit the same testing privileges my test user has, but I got the same error as before:

{"error_type": "OAuthException", "code": 400, "error_message": "Invalid Client ID"}

However, I tried to use Instagram’s old API (instead of Graph API suggested by Auth0’s official documents), and Auth0 was able to log me in successfully. But this old API is due to depreciation in early 2020:

[konrad.sopala]

Hey there @team2!

I touched this one in another topic you linked. As I’ve mentioned there I’m not into what’s happening there but it seems like Instagram API changed and our stack using it not. Once I discuss it with appropriate team, I’ll get back to you!

[team2]

Thanks, that would be awesome.

[konrad.sopala]

One of our teams is currently evaluating internal support ticket I submitted. Should have some info to share shortly!

[konrad.sopala]

Status update

Based on what I’ve been told by the engineering team:

This looks like a bigger effort in terms of migration. It seems instagram is closing their API in favour of the facebook strategy. In addition to this, to access the Instagram API’s the scopes instagram_basic and manage_pages should be passed. Today on the facebook connection we expose the manage_pages scope in the Dashboard but not the instagram_basic (but I believe you are able to patch the connection and add it to the options).

Customers should be able to unblock themselves by configuring the facebook connection and add the scopes manage_pages, instagram_basic (but those require App Review from FB), but that will yield in new users in auth0, so customers should implement account linking (via a rule).

[davidyatez]

@konrad.sopala Thanks for the update

The instagram_basic scope is a bit different than the one on old Instagram API. As far as I was able to test, it only exposes the Instagram Business account’s data; I couldn’t find any way around it to get data of a regular account. And there is one more requirement to satisfy before using it, users should have attached the business account to a Facebook page, which is only possible for business accounts.

This fact has also been mentioned in the documents you linked:

[konrad.sopala]

Sure! Let me get back with this feedback to the engineering team and see whether there’s some workaround!

[konrad.sopala]

Hey again!

The team is currently trying to craft an official way of how it will be handled. As soon as I have it I will share it with you!

[davidyatez]

Hi @konrad.sopala

I’m here to say that I was able to resolve my problem. Here is how:

I followed up the old API’s Instruction and generated a set of client key and secret. Then created a video demo of the app and submitted a review request on the old Instagram platform clearing out that I’m going to use this API only for the login process and just defining the basic scope to be reviewed. (Again all this happened on the old Instagram platform and not the new Facebook graph platform).

After around 24 hours, they have approved my request:

I also figured out that the problem on base scope on Facebook’s graph API (I stated above), will be resolved soon (early 2019) at least as far as they have promised in this document, which gives about a year time window before the old basic scope’s deprecation. Using the old API works perfectly inside the Auth0, but none of the scopes (other than the default selected basic) will be applied.

Hope it helps you.

[konrad.sopala]

Glad you managed to have it working! Thanks a lot for providing all that info!

[zlainch]

I too am looking for an update on official support for “Log in with Instagram”. Although @davidyatez seems to have “solved” his problem, the full solution does not exist yet. The approaches above only support accessing Instagram Business Accounts through the Graph API, and Facebook mentioned that they will be supporting normal Instagram accounts in early 2019: https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2018/01/30/instagram-graph-api-updates/

What is the status on Auth0’s proactiveness in preparing for this?
Have you made any progress?
ETA? Or are we still waiting on FB to implement the Graph API features that allow you to even start making progress?
Is the concept of “Login in with Instagram” even possible for new apps at this very moment?

I’m working on a “HUGE” project that depends on this, so any information will help. Thank you!