Facebook Launches 'Anonymous Login' and Improved Application Permissions

Facebook launched at F8 Conference a new “Anonymous Login” feature that lets users try new apps without sharing their data, according to Facebook`s blog post. The feature, which was announced at the F8 Conference, is still in beta testing.

Application permissions were also improved so that users now select what to share with a third party.

Photo Credit: Facebook

“We know some people are scared of pressing this blue button. It`s some of the most common feedback we get on our platform,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in the keynote speech at F8 Conference.

“If you don`t trust the apps, you may not want to give it all these permissions. So last year, we separated out read and publish permissions. It helped people trust the blue button and sign into apps.”

Now how does the Facebook “Anonymous Login” really work?

The Facebook infrastructure checks if you are who you claim to be (authentication) and vouches for you for the host application. This way, your identity remains concealed to the application, but Facebook can still see and log what you are doing within that app.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Besides Anonymous Login, Facebook also took a great step forward in terms of privacy by letting users choose what personal details to share with a third-party app. Also, users are questioned in a second screen if they want the app to post on their wall.

Photo Credit: Facebook

The sharing of a public profile is required by default, while other data such as likes, email addresses, friend lists and birthdays are optional.

To address the issue of permissions, Facebook will review the existing apps to ensure they “follow best practices.”

“During Login Review, we’ll look at and approve any permissions that an app requests beyond public profile, e-mail and friend list,” Facebook said.