Facebook has begun supporting the
OpenID login standard, which
means users can register for the social networking service using
another OpenID provider.
In February, Facebook finally
joined the OpenID foundation, which provides a single user ID
across the internet.
New users will be able to register for Facebook with their Gmail
accounts, according to fan site
AllFacebook.com.
Existing users can link their Facebook accounts with any OpenID
provider to connect with friends and eliminate the need for
multiple sign-ins.
Using an OpenID to access several online accounts that support
the standard is much secure than using the same username and
password for each account.
Online service providers warn against this way of getting around
the problem of remembering multiple passwords because if one
account is compromised, all are vulnerable.
Once users are logged in to their OpenID account, they will
automatically be logged in to Facebook and all Facebook Connect
sites they have registered for, making the login process much
easier.
"This is awesome! Great news," said one posting on the
AllFacebook.com site.