Countless websites now allow users to create accounts using their existing Facebook or Google credentials, rather than signing in with their email address and creating a new password. This seems a quick, easy and convenient way to get access, but how safe is it?
First off, the big issue: does the website get your Facebook or Google password. The short answer is no. Instead, whichever service you use to log in with will essentially confirm the legitimacy of your credentials, before passing you to the website with which you’re logging in.
What the website will get, though, is your public profile or email address. In the case of Facebook, this may actually provide them with a vast swathe of personal details, depending on your account’s privacy settings. An audit of your settings to know what can be viewed by third parties is always a wise move, but note that some websites require certain information (after all, why would they want you to log in with Facebook), so note that switching everything off may inhibit the features or functions to which you get access.
It’s a slightly more straightforward process with Gmail, thanks to Google’s own security measures. It uses technology to automatically detect suspicious account activity – which extends to third party websites. To that end, your account should be kept secure, but only if the site itself is legitimate. On that point…
The above advice only relates to legitimate websites and services. As always, users are strongly advised to check the credibility of any website before parting with personal data or trying to create an account. Check for the https security protocol and always err on the side of caution.
That being said, remember that Google, Facebook and other tech giants have invested immeasurable hours and huge sums of money into their own security measures. In all likelihood, this will vastly outweigh any security the third party website you’re logging into has got. So whilst there may be considerations about personal data, the fail-safes and backups offered by the likes of Facebook and Google make it more secure than you might think to use them for creating accounts elsewhere.
