At last year’s F8 developer conference, Facebook announced some changes that would give users more control over what info they choose to share with apps. The company introduced the new Facebook Login, which lets users edit the permissions they give an app upon log in. They also announced a Login Review process and other changes to the API, which the company said were designed to protect people’s information.
Facebook Login from Facebook on Vimeo.
At the time, Facebook asked all developers to upgrade their apps to use the new Login and API by April 30th, 2015, which is this Thursday. At that point, Facebook will begin to upgrade all apps to Graph API v2.0 and remove access to any permissions that haven’t been approved via Login Review.
“Many developers have already upgraded their apps, and we’re excited about the results,” a spokesperson for Facebook tells WebProNews. “Our Login Review team has reviewed more than 40,000 apps. On average, apps using the new Facebook Login are requesting 50 percent fewer permissions than apps using the previous version of Login. When apps request only the permissions that are right for people using them, people feel more comfortable logging into those apps.”
“In fact, the overall average rate of people logging in using the new Login is 11 percentage points higher than the previous version,” the spokesperson adds. “If a developer has not yet upgraded their app, it will be automatically upgraded on or after April 30, though they can still choose to upgrade at any time before that happens.”
When an app is upgraded, people will see the new Facebook Login Dialog, which includes the ability to decline permissions, so keep in mind that users may not always give you all the data you’re after. Certain permissions like friends’ photos will no longer be available.
New people logging into the app will be known by an app-scoped ID. You can find an FAQ about the changes here.
When Facebook first announced all of this, the social network was suffering from a slump in its share of social logins. Recent research from both Gigya and Janrain, however, shows that Facebook is still absolutely dominating the landscape, even extending its lead.
Interestingly, Facebook’s share of B2B social logins looks to have spiked significantly over the past quarter, largely at the expense of LinkedIn’s.
“LinkedIn’s Q4 gain across B2B websites didn’t last in Q1—total share of logins for the professional network fell 10% to 25%,” said Janrain’s report. “This decrease actually marks their lowest total share of logins in the B2B category since they became an IDP in Q4 2012. Facebook’s share increased a dramatic 11% to 35% of total logins after hitting their lowest number for B2B sites last quarter. Upcoming changes to the LinkedIn API, including a new, independent API for enabling job applicants on a corporate website to ‘Apply with LinkedIn,’ as well changes to their social sharing settings may create further shifts over the next few quarters.”
Facebook’s login changes are being lauded for improving user privacy.
Images via Facebook