Facebook gives users more control over their security and privacy with new Login feature

Facebook this week launched a new login feature aimed at giving users more transparency about the data it shares with third parties, as well as to offer users more control over how their information is used and shared.

“Login Notifications,” as the new feature is called, alerts a user via the Facebook app and associated email when they interact with 3rd party apps. Users are given full control over the information they share with 3rd party apps and are offered the option to edit those settings at will.

In one example, Login Notifications are triggered when a user logs into a 3rd party app with Facebook Login and grants the app access to their information. The feature would theoretically deter unauthorized logins, although Facebook doesn”t expressly state this. By receiving this notification knowing they haven”t taken any action, users would be able to know – or rather deduce – that someone has compromised their account and is attempting to take over.

Login Notifications are also triggered when a user re-uses Facebook Login to log into a 3rd party app after an app’s access to information has expired.

“We understand there are sensitivities to people”s information privacy and related information and are taking active steps to honor and improve this in our products,” Puxuan Qi, Software Engineer, writes. “We will continue to test additional user control features in early 2020, including bringing permissions to the forefront of the user experience when logging into a 3rd party app with Facebook Login.”

The social network is finally making some right moves catering to people”s privacy and security after being embroiled in several scandals over privacy and security in the past year. Most recently, Zuck’s company has declared war on deepfakes.