Q&A: Is It safe to sign in with Google or Facebook? (2024)

Question: Is it safe to signinto an account with Google, Facebook, or another social media platform? I’vealways stuck with a username and password.

Answer: It’s true — it mightseem like it happened all of a sudden: Instead of just being offered the usualoption of signing into an account with your email and password, you suddenlyhad three or more options. Do you want to sign in with Google? How aboutFacebook? Or maybe Twitter?

If you do prefer to sign in the oldschool way, with your email or username andpassword, you may now haveto hunt for that option among all the choices. Why? You can thank the rise ofsocial sign-in, also known as social login.

Social sign-in has been around for over adecade, and it has become ever more common over the years. A recentsurveyfound aboutone in three businesses offer social sign-in, which allows you to instantlysign into an app or website through another one, usually a social mediaplatform where you have an existing account.

There are advantages to social sign-in: It'squick and easy, allowing you to pop into an account with just a click ratherthan typing or auto filling your username and password. It also reduces theneed to keep track of aslew of passwords.

But there are some downsides to socialsign-in that you might want to consider. These include:

• Privacy worries– Social sign-inallows a social media platform toshare your datawith theother app or website.
• Security risks– A hacker who getsaccess to one of your accounts may be able to access others you've signed ontousing social sign-in.

So, should you use social logins? Forprivacyandsecurity reasons, it's probably best to stick with a good old-fashioned emailor username and password. If you like the speed and ease that social sign-inoffers, consider using a password manager that will autofill your name andpassword quickly.

And if you really want to protectyourself, you may even want to consider using a throwaway or secondary emailaccount to sign up for a new account — especially if you don't want your mainemail address subscribed to the app or website's emails.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about signing into accounts

Still unsure about the best way to signinto an account, app or website? Here are answers to common questions aboutsocial sign-in.

Should you use Facebook or Google to login to other sites?

It's generally best to avoid usingFacebook or Google to sign into other sites if you want to protect your privacyand sidestep unnecessary security risks. Social sign-in requires you to sharedata and could make your accounts more vulnerable to hackers.

Is it better to sign in withGoogle or email?

From a privacy and data securitystandpoint, it's better to sign in with your email address, using a throwawayemail for added privacy. From a convenience standpoint, it may be slightly easier and quicker to signin with Google.

What is the most popularsocial login?

The most commonly offered socialplatforms for social sign-in seem to be Google and Facebook. There is alsosocial sign-in that uses Apple, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, and othersocial media and networking platforms.

Is it safe to sign in with Google or Facebook?

Yes, it's technically safe to sign inwith Google or Facebook. But it's a good idea to consider the privacy andsecurity risks of social sign-in before you decide to use it.

What happens when I sign inwith Google?

When you sign into an app or website withGoogle, you first click "sign in with Google." At that point, Googlegets a request to "authenticate" you — essentially to verify youridentity and some basic information about you. You then have to click a buttonagreeing to the requirements for using social sign-in for that app or site. Ina nutshell, you give the social media platform permission to verify youridentity and provide some data to the app or website. You then get signed inautomatically.

Are there any risks tologging into an account through a social account?

There are a few risks you take when you log into anaccount using social sign-in. One issue is that you agree to let the socialsite share information about you, such as your likes, preferences, demographicdata, and friends, with the provider of the account. This can compromise yourprivacy. Social log-in also increases your exposure if that social account getshacked.

What data do you get from a social login?

The data you agree to share when you usesocial sign-in varies based on the social media platform. To know exactly whatdata is being shared, read the privacy policy of the platform before usingsocial sign-in. Information that may be collected can include: your name, age,address, email address, location, employment status, profile photo, and friendslist. In some cases, you may have to give permission for the company or websiteto look at and write on your social feed.