Facebook Connect: Login's Made Easy

Facebook Connect integration on websites as a login method is becoming more and more popular everyday. With a large user base ranging in the millions, Facebook offers a great median for websites who want to provide interactive content while also requiring a form of identification without forcing a user to keep track of multiple user accounts and passwords.

When done with care Facebook Connect can be an extremely powerful and easy to coordinate log in method. An example would be the recent official launch of the url shortener bt.gd which has integrated Facebook Connect technology to provide a hassle free login system and a solid foundation for future developments.

While Facebook Connect has many great features and can be a very useful platform for developers and websites, there is one major complication I see for websites who choose to use Facebook Connect, and that is the privacy of the user. The Facebook Connect API itself provides access to information about a user ranging from date of birth, sex, and even religion. I advise all websites who choose to use Facebook Connect as a login method to clearly state in their Privacy Policy what type of information is collected. Thus assuring safety to the users who log in.

If you are a webmaster and are interested in Facebook Connect as a login method you can visit the Facebook Developer Wiki for more information, and remember that the user comes first. So make clear of your intentions when developing.