fix(downloads): a Facebook download titled only "Facebook" takes the post's text

Since 2026-10-28 a signed-in read of a reel gives the placeholder title and
no description, so the adapter had nothing to fall back on and every such
download (and its name) read "Facebook". A placeholder with nothing behind
it now gets one signed-out, metadata-only read of the page. The backfill
retitles the downloads already made, and every name that only repeated the
placeholder; a name its owner gave stays.

backend/app/downloads/adapters.py

@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ class SourceAdapter:
         """The download's raw title, before `titles.normalize_title` cleans it. Generic: yt-dlp's."""
         return info.get("title")
 
+    def is_placeholder_title(self, title: str | None) -> bool:
+        """Whether `title` is a stand-in the source gives in place of the real one (worth one more,
+        signed-out read of the page). Generic: never."""
+        return False
+
     def uploader_url(self, info: dict) -> str | None:
         """The channel/uploader page URL. Generic: whatever yt-dlp exposes directly (YouTube gives
         `channel_url`), else None (reddit / a raw media URL have no derivable channel page)."""
@@ -201,11 +206,17 @@ class FacebookAdapter(SourceAdapter):
     # Measured (2026-09-14): a SIGNED-IN read gives the placeholder "Video" (plain and as Chrome), and an
     # 18+ reel only readable as Chrome gives "Facebook"; the post's text is still in `description`. A
     # signed-out read titles the page with that same text behind the engagement counts, cut short.
+    # Measured (2026-11-01, yt-dlp 2026.08.19): since 2026-10-28 every signed-in reel read gives
+    # "Facebook" and NO description, while a signed-out read of the same reel still carries the text —
+    # so a placeholder left with nothing behind it gets one signed-out read (`backfill.public_title_info`).
     _PLACEHOLDER_TITLES = frozenset({"video", "facebook"})
 
+    def is_placeholder_title(self, title: str | None) -> bool:
+        return (title or "").strip().lower() in self._PLACEHOLDER_TITLES
+
     def title(self, info: dict) -> str | None:
         raw = info.get("title")
-        if (raw or "").strip().lower() not in self._PLACEHOLDER_TITLES:
+        if not self.is_placeholder_title(raw):
             return raw
         line = next(
             (ln.strip() for ln in (info.get("description") or "").splitlines() if ln.strip()), ""

backend/app/downloads/backfill.py

@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ auto-detected channel becomes a clickable link) and `poster_path` (an ffmpeg fra
 thumbnail-less sources, so the card / watch page / link preview still shows an image). Best-effort
 and safe to re-run: it only touches assets still missing the field, and only re-fetches YouTube /
 Facebook sources (a direct media URL like a reddit HLS manifest carries no channel and its signed
-URL may have expired — those just get a locally-generated poster instead).
+URL may have expired — those just get a locally-generated poster instead). A Facebook download
+titled with the source's placeholder ("Facebook", "Video") is retitled from a signed-out read of its
+page, and so is each download name that only repeated the placeholder.
 
 Run once per environment:
     docker exec siftlode-worker-1 python -c "from app.downloads import backfill; print(backfill.run())"
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@ from urllib.parse import urlsplit
 
 import yt_dlp
 from sqlalchemy import select
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
 
 from app import logs
 from app.config import settings
@@ -22,12 +25,14 @@ from app.db import SessionLocal
 from app.downloads import adapters
 from app.downloads import edit as editmod
 from app.downloads import formats, service
-from app.downloads.models import MediaAsset
+from app.downloads.models import DownloadJob, MediaAsset
+from app.models import DISPLAY_TEXT_MAX
+from app.titles import normalize_title
 
 log = logs.get_logger(__name__)
 
 
-def _extract_meta(url: str, adapter: adapters.SourceAdapter, asset_id: int) -> dict | None:
+def extract_meta(url: str, adapter: adapters.SourceAdapter, asset_id: int) -> dict | None:
     """Metadata-only yt-dlp extraction, using the source adapter's client sets + options (YouTube
     needs the POT/player-client strategy even just to extract)."""
     with formats.hiding(url):
@@ -62,8 +67,37 @@ def _extract_meta_scoped(url: str, adapter: adapters.SourceAdapter, asset_id: in
     return None
 
 
+def public_title_info(info: dict, url: str, adapter: adapters.SourceAdapter, asset_id: int) -> dict:
+    """`info` to title a download from: itself, unless its title is a source's placeholder with
+    nothing behind it (a signed-in Facebook read: "Facebook", no description). Then one signed-out,
+    metadata-only read of the page lends its text — the description, else its title — as the
+    description the adapter takes a placeholder's title from. Nothing better there: `info` as it was."""
+    if not adapter.is_placeholder_title(adapter.title(info)):
+        return info
+    public = extract_meta(url, adapter, asset_id)
+    text = public and (public.get("description") or public.get("title"))
+    return {**info, "description": text} if text else info
+
+
+def _retitle(db: Session, a: MediaAsset, adapter: adapters.SourceAdapter, url: str) -> bool:
+    """Swap a placeholder title kept from an earlier download for the page's text, and the download
+    names that only repeated it. A name its owner gave (anything else) stays."""
+    if not adapter.is_placeholder_title(a.title):
+        return False
+    info = public_title_info({"title": a.title, "description": None}, url, adapter, a.id)
+    named = normalize_title(adapter.title(info))
+    if not named or adapter.is_placeholder_title(named):
+        return False
+    jobs = db.execute(select(DownloadJob).where(DownloadJob.asset_id == a.id)).scalars()
+    for job in jobs:
+        if job.display_name == a.title:
+            job.display_name = named[:DISPLAY_TEXT_MAX]
+    a.title = named
+    return True
+
+
 def run() -> dict:
-    filled_url = filled_poster = 0
+    filled_url = filled_poster = retitled = 0
     with SessionLocal() as db:
         assets = (
             db.execute(
@@ -78,7 +112,7 @@ def run() -> dict:
             adapter = adapters.resolve_adapter(a.source_kind, a.source_ref)
             if a.uploader_url is None and adapter.wants_metadata_backfill():
                 url = a.source_webpage_url or service.source_url(a.source_kind, a.source_ref)
-                info = _extract_meta(url, adapter, a.id)
+                info = extract_meta(url, adapter, a.id)
                 uu = adapter.uploader_url(info) if info else None
                 if uu:
                     a.uploader_url = uu
@@ -86,6 +120,11 @@ def run() -> dict:
                     log.info(
                         "asset %s uploader_url filled", a.id
                     )  # the URL names what they downloaded
+            if adapter.wants_metadata_backfill():
+                url = a.source_webpage_url or service.source_url(a.source_kind, a.source_ref)
+                if _retitle(db, a, adapter, url):
+                    retitled += 1
+                    log.info("asset %s retitled", a.id)  # the title names what they downloaded
             if a.poster_path is None:
                 # Record a self-hosted poster for every download (the reliable og:image source):
                 # ensure_poster returns the existing <base>.jpg thumbnail sidecar, or cuts a frame.
@@ -99,6 +138,7 @@ def run() -> dict:
         "assets": len(assets),
         "filled_uploader_url": filled_url,
         "filled_poster": filled_poster,
+        "retitled": retitled,
     }
     log.info("backfill done: %s", result)
     return result

backend/app/downloads/pipeline.py

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from app.downloads import clip as clipmod
 from app.downloads import edit as editmod
 from app.downloads import errors as dlerrors
 from app.downloads import adapters, credentials, formats, mediakind, playable, probe, quota
+from app.downloads import backfill
 from app.downloads import service, storage
 from app.downloads import urlguard
 from app.downloads.jobdb import (
@@ -585,9 +586,12 @@ def _download(
         # missing duration hid the trim action. Probed before the sidecars so the .nfo runtime has it
         # too. Same probe the upload ingest uses.
         vcodec, acodec, width, height, duration_s = probe.resolve_media_facts(produced, info)
+        # A placeholder title with nothing behind it ("Facebook" from a signed-in read) borrows the
+        # page's text from one signed-out read; the download itself stays the signed-in one.
+        titled = backfill.public_title_info(info, url, adapter, asset_id)
         meta = storage.MediaMeta(
             video_id=info.get("id") or source_ref,
-            title=normalize_title(adapter.title(info)) or source_ref,
+            title=normalize_title(adapter.title(titled)) or source_ref,
             uploader=info.get("uploader") or info.get("channel") or "Unknown Channel",
             upload_date=_parse_upload_date(info.get("upload_date")),
             uniqueid_type=adapter.nfo_uniqueid_type(),

backend/tests/test_facebook_titles.py

@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+"""A Facebook download's title when the signed-in read gives only a placeholder.
+
+Measured on prod (2026-11-01): every Facebook download since 2026-10-28 is titled "Facebook" — the
+signed-in read (the owner's cookie) now gives that placeholder and NO description, so the adapter had
+no post text to fall back on, and the download name copied the placeholder too. A signed-out read of
+the same reel (yt-dlp 2026.08.19, as on prod) still carries the post's text in its description.
+"""
+
+from app.config import settings
+from app.downloads import adapters, backfill, pipeline
+from app.downloads.models import DownloadJob, MediaAsset
+
+_URL = "https://www.facebook.com/reel/1860682468422402/"
+# The measured signed-out read of that reel.
+_PUBLIC = {
+    "title": "163K reactions · 14K shares | sorry not helping #workhumor #officelife | Work dot exe",
+    "description": "sorry not helping\n\n#workhumor #officelife",
+    "uploader": "Work dot exe",
+}
+
+
+def _fake_ydl(monkeypatch, outcome):
+    """yt-dlp faked at its `YoutubeDL` boundary: records each read's options, answers `outcome`."""
+    seen: list[dict] = []
+
+    class FakeYDL:
+        def __init__(self, opts):
+            seen.append(opts)
+
+        def __enter__(self):
+            return self
+
+        def __exit__(self, *exc):
+            return False
+
+        def extract_info(self, url, download):
+            return outcome
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(backfill.yt_dlp, "YoutubeDL", FakeYDL)
+    return seen
+
+
+def test_a_placeholder_with_nothing_behind_it_takes_the_signed_out_pages_text(monkeypatch):
+    seen = _fake_ydl(monkeypatch, _PUBLIC)
+    fb = adapters.FacebookAdapter()
+
+    info = backfill.public_title_info({"title": "Facebook", "description": None}, _URL, fb, 7)
+
+    assert fb.title(info) == "sorry not helping"
+    # One metadata-only read, and signed out: no cookie goes with it.
+    assert len(seen) == 1
+    assert seen[0]["skip_download"] is True
+    assert not seen[0].get("cookiefile")
+
+
+def test_a_real_title_reads_nothing_more(monkeypatch):
+    seen = _fake_ydl(monkeypatch, _PUBLIC)
+    info = {"title": "Funny Dark Humor Dad Joke!", "description": None}
+
+    assert backfill.public_title_info(info, _URL, adapters.FacebookAdapter(), 7) is info
+    assert seen == []
+
+
+def test_a_placeholder_the_signed_out_page_cannot_better_stays(monkeypatch):
+    _fake_ydl(monkeypatch, {"title": "Facebook", "description": None})
+    fb = adapters.FacebookAdapter()
+
+    info = backfill.public_title_info({"title": "Facebook", "description": None}, _URL, fb, 7)
+
+    assert fb.title(info) == "Facebook"
+
+
+def test_another_source_is_never_read_again(monkeypatch):
+    seen = _fake_ydl(monkeypatch, _PUBLIC)
+    info = {"title": "Video", "description": None}
+
+    assert backfill.public_title_info(info, _URL, adapters.SourceAdapter(), 7) is info
+    assert seen == []
+
+
+def test_the_backfill_retitles_a_placeholder_download_and_the_names_that_repeated_it(
+    db, make_user, monkeypatch
+):
+    _fake_ydl(monkeypatch, _PUBLIC)
+    owner, other = make_user(), make_user()
+    asset = MediaAsset(
+        source_kind="url",
+        source_ref=_URL,
+        format_sig="fb",
+        status="ready",
+        rel_path="facebook/x.mp4",
+        poster_path="facebook/x.jpg",
+        uploader_url="https://www.facebook.com/1",
+        title="Facebook",
+        ref_count=2,
+    )
+    db.add(asset)
+    db.flush()
+    copied = DownloadJob(
+        user_id=owner.id,
+        asset_id=asset.id,
+        source_kind="url",
+        source_ref=_URL,
+        status="done",
+        queue_pos=0,
+        profile_snapshot={},
+        display_name="Facebook",
+    )
+    renamed = DownloadJob(
+        user_id=other.id,
+        asset_id=asset.id,
+        source_kind="url",
+        source_ref=_URL,
+        status="done",
+        queue_pos=0,
+        profile_snapshot={},
+        display_name="Office jokes",
+    )
+    db.add_all([copied, renamed])
+    db.commit()
+
+    assert backfill.run()["retitled"] == 1
+
+    db.expire_all()
+    assert db.get(MediaAsset, asset.id).title == "sorry not helping"
+    assert db.get(DownloadJob, copied.id).display_name == "sorry not helping"
+    assert db.get(DownloadJob, renamed.id).display_name == "Office jokes"
+    # Run again: nothing left to retitle, and no page read for it.
+    assert backfill.run()["retitled"] == 0
+
+
+def test_a_download_titled_facebook_is_named_from_the_signed_out_page(
+    db, make_user, monkeypatch, tmp_path
+):
+    # The whole download path with yt-dlp and the media tools faked: the signed-in read gives only
+    # the placeholder, and the file and the download's name get the post's text.
+    _fake_ydl(monkeypatch, _PUBLIC)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "files_root", str(tmp_path))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pipeline.urlguard, "check_url", lambda url: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pipeline, "_ensure_phone_safe", lambda _j, produced, *_a: produced)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        pipeline.probe, "resolve_media_facts", lambda produced, info: ("h264", "aac", 720, 1280, 9)
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pipeline.editmod, "thumbnail_to_jpg", lambda *a: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pipeline.editmod, "ensure_poster", lambda *a: None)
+    owner = make_user()
+    asset = MediaAsset(
+        source_kind="url", source_ref=_URL, format_sig="fb", status="downloading", ref_count=1
+    )
+    db.add(asset)
+    db.flush()
+    job = DownloadJob(
+        user_id=owner.id,
+        asset_id=asset.id,
+        source_kind="url",
+        source_ref=_URL,
+        status="running",
+        queue_pos=0,
+        profile_snapshot={},
+    )
+    db.add(job)
+    db.commit()
+
+    def signed_in_read(job_id, asset_id, url, spec, staging, adapter, **kw):
+        f = staging / "1860682468422402.mp4"
+        f.write_bytes(b"v" * 100)
+        return {
+            "id": "1860682468422402",
+            "title": "Facebook",
+            "uploader": "Work dot exe",
+            "requested_downloads": [{"filepath": str(f)}],
+        }
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pipeline, "_extract_with_fallback", signed_in_read)
+    pipeline._download(job.id, asset.id, "url", _URL, {}, owner.id)
+
+    db.expire_all()
+    assert db.get(DownloadJob, job.id).status == "done"
+    assert db.get(MediaAsset, asset.id).title == "sorry not helping"
+    assert db.get(DownloadJob, job.id).display_name == "sorry not helping"

backend/tests/test_failure_lines.py

@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ def test_the_metadata_backfill_names_the_asset_and_not_the_download(sink, monkey
             )
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(backfill.yt_dlp, "YoutubeDL", _Refusing)
-    assert backfill._extract_meta(url, adapters.YouTubeAdapter(), 11) is None
+    assert backfill.extract_meta(url, adapters.YouTubeAdapter(), 11) is None
 
     lines = [o for o in sink.objects() if "meta extract failed" in o["msg"]]
     assert lines and all("dQw4w9WgXcQ" not in json.dumps(o) for o in lines)
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ def test_the_metadata_backfill_takes_out_a_generic_name_whatever_it_holds(sink,
             raise yt_dlp.utils.DownloadError("ERROR: [generic] Our Trip: Day 1: Unable to download")
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(backfill.yt_dlp, "YoutubeDL", _Refusing)
-    assert backfill._extract_meta(url, adapters.SourceAdapter(), 11) is None
+    assert backfill.extract_meta(url, adapters.SourceAdapter(), 11) is None
 
     lines = [o for o in sink.objects() if "meta extract failed" in o["msg"]]
     assert lines and all("Day 1" not in json.dumps(o) for o in lines)

backend/tests/test_upload.py

@@ -596,6 +596,7 @@ DISPLAY_WRITE_SITES = {
     ("downloads/service.py", "enqueue_clip"): {"display_name or asset.title[:DISPLAY_TEXT_MAX]"},
     ("downloads/pipeline.py", "_download"): {"meta.title[:DISPLAY_TEXT_MAX]"},
     ("downloads/pipeline.py", "_process_clip"): {"named[:DISPLAY_TEXT_MAX]"},
+    ("downloads/backfill.py", "_retitle"): {"named[:DISPLAY_TEXT_MAX]"},
     ("worker.py", "_finish_from_cache"): {"asset.title[:DISPLAY_TEXT_MAX]"},
     ("downloads/upload.py", "ingest_upload"): {"display_text(display_name)"},
     ("routes/auth.py", "callback"): {"display_text(userinfo.get('name'))"},