Facebook’s Anonymous Login: Great for Users, Okay for Marketers
Tired of offering something for nothing, Facebook has waved its magic wand once again and made a change that, for once, privacy advocates might applaud. The company will now allow users to log in anonymously through third-party sites, instead of sharing all the information that they make available on Facebook.
So, for instance, if someone uses their Facebook profile to log in to a workout site like Daily Mile or a news site such as The Washington Post, they won’t have to share everything about themselves. Facebook will basically be their virtual passport, and they can use the service or website they’ve logged into without leaving behind their personal information.
This idea will be terrific for users, but marketers may have some initial qualms, since the information they’re privy to is limited. Here’s how it’s expected to play out.
Why Users Will Love It
Let’s face it, privacy advocates aren’t Facebook’s biggest fan. They object to the social network sharing information with advertisers that many people aren’t even aware they’ve consented to. Even photos from private Facebook accounts can be incorporated into ads without the user’s express consent; instead, the social network uses a blanket form to get permission for everything.
But the anonymous log in puts the power back into the consumers’ court. They can limit the information they’re exposing to marketers while also saving time by using Facebook to gain entry to a site rather than going through a cumbersome sign-up process.
What’s in it for Facebook?
Mark Zuckerburg at the F8 Conference, via Time
Now you know that Facebook isn’t making these changes out of the goodness of its heart or a sudden concern for users’ privacy. It’s motivated by two things: money and influence. Money, because it has access to a whole bunch of demographic information that marketers are itching to get their hands on but that has suddenly become its private domain. And influence because, at a time when people are spending less time and getting more frustrated with Facebook, the site is changing its focus.
Even if people don’t want to go spend zillions of hours on Facebook anymore, they can still use it as the aforementioned virtual passport, saving them valuable time logging onto sites. Instead of filling out form after form to access news or activity sites, they can log on with Facebook in the blink of an eye. That keeps the site relevant, and it’s actually pretty brilliant.
Why Marketers Will Learn to Like It
Of course, the loser in this scenario would appear to be marketers. They no longer get a full sign-up from users, and they don’t have the access to Facebook profiles that they previously enjoyed. That’s a big disadvantage.
But Facebook knows what marketers want, and it is pledging to work with them to provide it. The truth is, a site may get an unexpected number of benefits from the new program. Let’s consider an example. Memolink, a free online rewards site, allows users to join by either filling out a form manually or logging in with their Facebook account. In the short term, the lack of information about those signing up could certainly hinder Memolink’s targeting efforts. But in the long term, it will undoubtedly get more sign-ups because users will appreciate the ability to control what information is being shared about them; that means more users to reach out to and leverage.
Protecting Your Privacy
Facebook was smart to rejigger its offerings at a time when the web is pushing ever more toward privacy in the wake of troubling security breaches such as Heartbleed. In the end, both users and marketers will benefit from these changes, and Facebook will achieve its ultimate goal: remaining ubiquitous.
Images: Pixabay | Wikipedia | Time
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