Looks like it replaces the pick-a-username and remember-a-password workflows with a single tap, lowering the bar for new users to start using the service. They can still favourite things, track data, get high scores, whatever the app is for, but delay handing over identifying information until it is actually needed, if ever. Interesting idea.
The thing is - we already have the Facebook (or twitter etc) single login option.
However the are plenty of articles that say this form of sign up is not necessarily effective.[1]
For this idea to take off - you need to assume the reason for the current lack of uptake is that users dont trust the 3rd party with the Facebook data.
However I personally believe, and would have thought, that most people dont trust Facebook with the linked data, since they are learning more about you?
The problem with the existing Facebook single login is that it gives the user another, somewhat daunting, screen that says "Are you sure you want to give this app access to your contacts, email, identity, etc.?" I'm sure Facebook has found that a large percentage of users bail out of new signups at that screen.
And frankly, the user should be bailing out there. Regardless of Facebook's sketchy policy changes, they have demonstrated that they will at least do what they promised with my personal data, but there's no reason that I should a new app/service the same level of trust.
With "Anonymous Login" users don't have to worry that the app will be able to do nefarious things with their Facebook data.
That's the website asking for that information... A website could simply ask for no special permissions. I've hit a few sites that I've signed in with github or google that haven't asked for intrusive permissions.
> However I personally believe, and would have thought, that most people dont trust Facebook with the linked data, since they are learning more about you?
I think most people in the real world, outside our cozy tech bubble, trust Facebook pretty deeply. They give them their thoughts, their photos, their schedule, and their private messages to people. I'm not sure their really that concerned about Facebook also knowing that they signed into Candy Crush Saga XIV
Based on my experience working with a number of companies (n > 15) on onboarding flows, Email + Facebook signup (on the same form) is the most effective. This is trailed only slightly by offering only email signup. Most companies that offer Email + Facebook (on the same form) see a 70/30 split favoring email.
I don't understand why any developer would use FB anonymous login when you can just use email which is equally as effective.
The single-tap could be replaced with a single email field for signup. No username, no password. People try the service, if they like it, they can persist their data. Temporarily, they get emailed an auth link that lets them login to their account for a couple days.
I would consider email address "identifying information". I think if you're hesitant about signing up for a service because you're worried they might be the type of company that will waste your time (making you sign up before convincing you they offer something valuable), then you probably aren't in a place where you want to put the decision in their hands of whether or not to spam you incessantly until you unsubscribe.
> Also a single tap is still often much easier than typing a full email address, especially on mobile.
This could be improved somewhat if iOS or Android had a way to autofill your email address on demand. Unless something's changed recently, the only way to do this now requires asking for permission to the entire address book which many people rightly consider a bad idea.
I was under the impression that still required a permission. If not, that'd be great since it really should be a distinct case because it's only relevant in a very user-controlled context.
