App developers move to alternate login options over Facebook's privacy concerns and new terms of service

App developers are reducing their reliance on Facebook and urging users to login via email or their mobile numbers. This comes after the social media giant’s new terms of service that these third-party app developers are yet to get clarity on.

Third-party applications often rely on using Facebook and Google ID and allow users to use their services. After Facebook recently updated its terms of service, these developers remain in the dark on how the new terms would affect them. App developers have already been encouraging users to login via their email ID or mobile number as an alternative to Facebook login, according to The Economic Times (ET).

The new Facebook terms of service scheduled to be applicable from October 1 states that it can remove or restrict access to your content, services or information if it determines that doing so is reasonably necessary to avoid or mitigate adverse legal or regulatory impacts to Facebook.

Snehil Khanor, cofounder of dating app TrulyMadly, believes that the new Facebook terms of service are unlikely to affect the company. The shift in the sign-in process is also due to rising concerns over data breach and privacy. “Users stopped using Facebook as a way to login when some privacy concerns surfaced. We also realise that we cannot be dependent on Facebook especially when they are also getting into dating,” Khanor added.

Khanor further informed that only 35 percent of our users use Facebook logins. 

“Facebook continues to be an option but the emphasis on gaming platforms is on logins through the email address or phone numbers,” a person working for a gaming app said on condition of anonymity. “They prefer mobile phones and are emphasising more on that.” 

Entertainment ticketing service BookMyShow, for example, has stopped using third party sign-ins for customers over the past 8-9 months and uses only phone numbers and emails, external sources familiar with matters at the company said. 

Facebook's move to update its terms of service have drawn mixed reactions from users with some stating it could be used to justify online censorship by the platform.