What are the pros and cons of implementing social login for a mobile app?
By social login I am referring to enableing users to login to your app using their social identity from more FB, twitter, ...
Thank you.
8 comments
Ok, FB connect has potentially many downsides in its use, fair enough.
But what about the advantages, like:
* no need to create and remember yet another new password
* automatic profile info and pic upload
* easier to find and be found by friends, more interactions.
The leverage that FBs social graph provides is real, otherwise they wouldn't cut the cord as they did many times on apps they felt were designed to be mainly a Facebook competitor.
Those positive aspects should be weighted as well.
But what about the advantages, like:
* no need to create and remember yet another new password
* automatic profile info and pic upload
* easier to find and be found by friends, more interactions.
The leverage that FBs social graph provides is real, otherwise they wouldn't cut the cord as they did many times on apps they felt were designed to be mainly a Facebook competitor.
Those positive aspects should be weighted as well.
Actually, I can't see any cons.
The biggest benefit for you is that you don't have to store their passwords. Believe me, you don't want them.
And for them, it's easier to sign up, which can therefore make them think that it won't cost much time to just try out the service (even if it's a mobile app, they might think twice if they have to create an account first).
Thank you. The confusing bit is around:
a- Usernames: assume you allow social login from FB+Twitter+Email, who sets the username?
b- Re-sign in: when users come back after few days, what if they forgot if they logged in through FB or twitter the previous time, that does not seem easy to work around
You'll lose a lot of users as people REALLY do not trust social logins anymore due to sketchy security settings in Facebook.[1][2] Anecdotally I actually overheard an older gentlemen behind me at a coffee shop the other day lamenting about how he wanted to sign up for some service but they wanted his facebook login details and that "they posted all over my wall with ads last time and I'm not going through that again." Implementing your own user system isn't all that difficult as most technology stacks have a library to handle password storage.
[1] http://blog.mailchimp.com/social-login-buttons-arent-worth-i... [2] http://hyperallergic.com/54018/man-bartlett-why-i-deleted-my...
[1] http://blog.mailchimp.com/social-login-buttons-arent-worth-i... [2] http://hyperallergic.com/54018/man-bartlett-why-i-deleted-my...
Good perspective, (i) how would you manage usernames then and (ii) you do not need people to connect their FB/twitter account to discover friends on your app?
Sample size N = 1.
If login is via FB, Google, etc. I delete the app and do not use it.
On the other hand I may be too grumpy for my own good. A couple of days ago I came across an iOS app that seemed like a useful idea. Health, exercise etc. related. I downloaded it. It needed a username/password. I nuked the app com my phone. I decided I am not sharing health details (weight etc) at random. And I thought "Oh no, not another fucking username/password pair to go into 1Password." I am happily living without the app.
This puts you in a tough spot. If your app requires username/password to work I'm not likely to use it, no matter what system you use -- if there is personal information involved.
As I said, sample size n = 1.
If login is via FB, Google, etc. I delete the app and do not use it.
On the other hand I may be too grumpy for my own good. A couple of days ago I came across an iOS app that seemed like a useful idea. Health, exercise etc. related. I downloaded it. It needed a username/password. I nuked the app com my phone. I decided I am not sharing health details (weight etc) at random. And I thought "Oh no, not another fucking username/password pair to go into 1Password." I am happily living without the app.
This puts you in a tough spot. If your app requires username/password to work I'm not likely to use it, no matter what system you use -- if there is personal information involved.
As I said, sample size n = 1.
Nobody wants to share their personal account information to any non-trusted site or application. So, according to me, if your app has a sign up form to use , then you can install Social login for user easiness but if not, then you are making a big mistake...
Here's how I approach a new app that I'm checking out:
- I want to be able to explore some of the functionality without providing any information at all. I want to read some copy, see a demo, see some screenshots, and ideally play with some functionality.
- I have no trouble creating a username/ password to try out a site. I have a 'throwaway' username/ password combo that I often use for sites I am just checking out.
- I will almost never use one of my established social identities for an app that I have just heard about, or one that has no traction yet. I don't want brand new apps to have any connection to my established identities, unless I have really good reason to trust that app and its developers.
Hope that helps, I imagine this is a pretty common mindset when people are checking out new apps.
- I want to be able to explore some of the functionality without providing any information at all. I want to read some copy, see a demo, see some screenshots, and ideally play with some functionality.
- I have no trouble creating a username/ password to try out a site. I have a 'throwaway' username/ password combo that I often use for sites I am just checking out.
- I will almost never use one of my established social identities for an app that I have just heard about, or one that has no traction yet. I don't want brand new apps to have any connection to my established identities, unless I have really good reason to trust that app and its developers.
Hope that helps, I imagine this is a pretty common mindset when people are checking out new apps.
This indeed helps, didn't look at it this way and it makes lots of sense to do so
These are the reasons I won't use social login on my site:
- There are people out there who do not have a social media account.
- Many of those people that do have one don't want to "share" their information with said social media account.
- This is a bit political, but I deeply believe that we, as developers, have a responsibility to our user-base. This responsibility includes but is not limited to user freedom and the ability to be anonymous if they desire that freedom.
- You are depending on the whims of another corporation, and a corporation that, by all historical evidence, won't be around or popular ~two years from now. Users delete and abandon accounts, now what?
- I think that, ultimately, it depends on your site and your use. For example, I want to promote anonymous discussion because I feel that this will create more honest discussion. Although there is a bit to be said about enforcing real names as an implied moderation tool, I put further weight on anonymity if the user chooses so.
- There are people out there who do not have a social media account.
- Many of those people that do have one don't want to "share" their information with said social media account.
- This is a bit political, but I deeply believe that we, as developers, have a responsibility to our user-base. This responsibility includes but is not limited to user freedom and the ability to be anonymous if they desire that freedom.
- You are depending on the whims of another corporation, and a corporation that, by all historical evidence, won't be around or popular ~two years from now. Users delete and abandon accounts, now what?
- I think that, ultimately, it depends on your site and your use. For example, I want to promote anonymous discussion because I feel that this will create more honest discussion. Although there is a bit to be said about enforcing real names as an implied moderation tool, I put further weight on anonymity if the user chooses so.
In our app users can sign in with Facebook, or make their own app specific account. We don't force users to use facebook.
A lot of our good (active) users are ones who make a custom account.
Another benefit for us offering an option is that we have found a place in schools.. But this is pretty specific to our app and may not apply to you at all.
We also give our users the option to not sign in at all, but limit what they can do (no community access)
A lot of our good (active) users are ones who make a custom account.
Another benefit for us offering an option is that we have found a place in schools.. But this is pretty specific to our app and may not apply to you at all.
We also give our users the option to not sign in at all, but limit what they can do (no community access)