Facebook makes games reveal charges

Games on Facebook will be required to reveal in-app purchases and quit bonuses for liking their pages under new rules.

• Facebook will make games that have in-app purchase announce it up-front


• Games also can no longer give rewards for liking their page


• Developers have 90 days to comply with the new rules

(CNN) -- Facebook games will have to reveal any in-app charges and will no longer be allowed to give players bonuses for "liking" their pages under new rules rolled out for developers this week.

The changes were part of a new version of the platform developers use to build games and other apps and share them with Facebook users. The developers will have 90 days to comply with the new rules.

So-called "freemium" games and other apps have become a popular choice for developers using Facebook or other platforms, like Apple's iOS and Google's Android mobile operating systems.

Instead of paying for an app up front, players may download a game for free. In most cases, they can then play a basic version of that game, but get access to new content or in-game items that help their progress by paying.

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In addition to being arguably deceptive, this approach also has brought attention through several cases in which children have unknowingly racked up thousands of dollars worth of charges by making purchases in games that their parents didn't realize allowed that option.

"If your game includes mandatory or optional in-app charges, explain this in your app's description," Facebook's new rule reads.

The curb on encouraging "likes" appears to be an effort by Facebook to keep developers from artificially inflating the popularity of their games.

On Facebook, a page's popularity is judged, in part, by the number of likes, posts, comments and shares it gets. More popular pages rank higher in the site's search results and are shown to more users.

It's not uncommon for games to offer players extra in-game items for liking their page.

But intentionally pumping up a page's popularity is a problem Facebook has been working to control. In the worst case scenario, "like farming" is being done by someone who shares content with no other purpose than to make it go viral.

Once the page has gotten lots of likes, the owner can strip it down and change it to a page promoting a product or service or even sell it to someone else on black-market sites.

Facebook has worked to crack down on that practice with tools including one that devalues any post that specifically asks users to like or share it.

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This matters? It's a ... zonkey

New baby zonkey Telegraph hangs out with his zebra mom at the Taigan zoo park in southern Crimea. Strange. No sign of his deadbeat donkey dad. What an ass.

Telegraph's identity crisis will ultimately result in years of therapy.

"Are you looking at my mom's butt? That's just gross, dude."

"Mom, why do the other kids call me Zebroid?"

"Seriously? No XBox for a week? I said I was sorry."

• A baby zonkey was recently born at a zoo in Crimea


• The mother was a zebra, and the father was a donkey


• The newborn is named Telegraph in honor of a local newspaper

Editor's note: Each week in "Apparently This Matters," CNN's Jarrett Bellini applies his warped sensibilities to trending topics in social media and random items of interest on the Web.

(CNN) -- Despite all the political tension in Crimea, it's nice to know things are still safe enough at the zoo for a zebra to get it on with a donkey.

Because, really, in some weird, small way, it's a symbol of hope. Like an olive branch. Except, in this case, it's a zebra ... getting it on with a donkey.

But as odd as it may sound, things (ahem) worked out, and now we have an adorable new reminder of what can happen when we put aside our differences for the shared goal of peace and love.

And Doing It.

That living, breathing reminder is a beautiful baby "zonkey" named Telegraph, who recently came into the world at the Taigan Zoo park near Crimea's main city, Simferopol.

"Apparently This Matters" Is Jarrett Bellini's weekly (and somewhat random) look at social-media trends.

Of course, a zonkey is just what it sounds like. Half zebra. Half donkey. Possibly even part lion depending on what kind of shenanigans were going on inside the stall.

(And if you accept my rather misguided understanding of how conception works.)

But one thing that's perfectly clear is that this little guy is ridiculously cute. And everyone is talking about him.

So, it sort of makes sense that Telegraph was named for a local newspaper, honoring the publication's fifth anniversary. Though, when you think about it, that may or may not be a compliment to the publication.

"Congrats. We named an ass after you."

Either way, Telegraph is just lucky to be alive. Although cross-breeding of equines is not unheard of, it is rather rare and unconventional. And proper zoos aren't overly keen on the idea.

Photos: Zonkeys and ligers and pizzles

But this facility says that toying with nature was never a part of the plan.

You see, Telegraph's mother -- the zebra -- was uncomfortable in her enclosure and had been without a mate for quite a while. Presumably, she spent most of her time being bitter with the other single girls in book club.

View my Flipboard Magazine.

Eventually, the zoo moved the lonely zebra into a different part of the complex where she could be surrounded by other hoofed animals.

This included her dream donkey.

Mind you, it's also possible that she was simply desperate and the donkey was drunk.

"I like your stripes."

"What?"

"I SAID I LIKE YOUR STRIPES!"

No matter how it all went down, we're all thankful. Because now we have this silly looking thing with a brown upper body and zebra legs. And visitors to the zoo are absolutely loving him.

Of course, to be fair, all baby animals tend to be a big draw. Especially when you look like you've been pieced together with spare parts.

Think about it.

An adorable baby polar bear with a tortoise shell would pretty much stop the world from spinning. Darwin would be cheering from his grave. And scientists might go crazy trying to figure out just how the hell that actually happened.

Now, picture them with tortoise shells.

Steve would finally own up to it.

"I'm sorry! I was bored. I fed them bourbon."

But, no matter the species, whenever you get a cute baby cross-breed, you sort of have to enjoy it while you can. Generally speaking, hybrid animals don't reproduce.

They tend to be infertile.

(It's a science thing. I don't quite get it. Mr. Ware tried to teach me in high school, but I was far more interested in depriving others of their education.)

That said, being infertile might not be such a bad thing if, say, you're a rather confident liger and you do well at the clubs.

Child support ain't cheap. Liger on!

Anyway, that's the story of a cute little zonkey who is currently enjoying his 15 minutes of worldwide Internet fame.

Telegraph, we like your stripes.

"What?"

WE LIKE YOUR STRIPES!

Follow @JarrettBellini on Twitter.

See more content with questionable news value at CNN Comedy.