AOL has joined
Microsoft in
supporting the Open ID federated identity management
system.
AOL‘s support means Open ID could potentially get a further 63
million users. Open ID allows users to sign in once to access any
website that supports the scheme.
AOL users will be able to use their existing AOL accounts with
the scheme. Microsoft recently announced its registered web users
would be able to use the scheme.
Federated identity management has seen open decentralised
systems like Open ID compete with centrally controlled systems like
Microsoft’s Passport.
Microsoft didn’t see many websites sign up to its scheme, and
only eBay was a significant supporter, although its marketing of
Passport is low key.
Many users were weary of Microsoft’s central control of the
log-in procedure.
Through the Open ID scheme, users choose where to store their
online identity, meaning no single company has access to user
authentication data.
Open source ID projects link up with Microsoft
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