Federated IDs are the future

from JoeUser Forums

I don’t like creating friends lists.

I also don’t like having to remember a bunch of different logons but that’s not nearly as annoying as having to deal with multiple “social networks”. 

The good news is that in another couple of years, it won’t matter. Your virtual you will be one entity rather than having it all divided up amongst Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Live, Impulse, Gmail, Steam, AOL IM, whatever.  The reason: Federated IDs.

Here’s how it works: User enters in their UserID and PW for a service that supports federated IDs. It then talks to all the other services you belong to that also support federated IDs and gathers up your “friends” list, achievements, status updates, etc. and puts them together.

So you can picture logging into Impulse with your Live ID or Facebook ID or what have you and have it use your Facebook friends that also have Impulse and so forth.

Right now, Facebook is, not surprisingly, leading the charge.  Between them and Twitter, an embryonic federated ID system is already in place. And because of them, others will follow suit – are following suit because not supporting such a system puts those who try to keep their ID system proprietary and closed will be at a significant disadvantage.

Federated IDs are win-win-win: Mutually beneficial for social networks and beneficial to users as well.

35,656 views 19 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

I actually hate this idea a lot.  It means that if one of my networks is compromised, they _all_ go down.  I can't be the only one to fear this...

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Federated IDs are win-win-win: Mutually beneficial for social networks and beneficial to users as well.
End of quote

I've always considered the idea of a 'National ID Card' that indicates EXACTLY who you are and eliminates ALL forms of deception as a Utopian Ideal.

Privacy advocates will wet their knickers over such a thought...but if it's something that can eliminate [most] crimes of deception then oppositional arguments will be pretty darn weak.

On the net....re Brad's thoughts....it might put another barrier in the way of all those online nasties like paedophilia and cyberbullying....

 

....and Nigerian Scams.....;)

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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Federated IDs wouldn't be mandatory. No service is going to require you use someone else's ID. :)

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Sounds like a very bad thing to me actually. Yes, I like my privacy very much, thank you. I'm probably allready too old and cynic for this new stuff I guess. :p

Also, I see no reason why my friends would need to automatically know what I'm playing and where I was, even less the companies owning those services.

Privacy advocates will wet their knickers over such a thought...but if it's something that can eliminate [most] crimes of deception then oppositional arguments will be pretty darn weak.

On the net....re Brad's thoughts....it might put another barrier in the way of all those online nasties like paedophilia and cyberbullying....
End of quote

Actually, a bit of common sense and thinking eliminates most crimes of deception. But in our modern times, I guess, one needs a technological solution to every problem else the world would go under. *snark*

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

I think MS tried this idea with CardSpace and it hasn't earned any traction at all...

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Federated ID's sound like the ultimate tracking tool for hackers, goverment and corporations alike. I think I'll pass on this future trend until it becomes clear who will profit most by it.

 

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

'Federated IDs are the future'

Well, for me that is just way too much like Star Trek, and a bit weird.  :-"

Reply #8 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 2

.

Privacy advocates will wet their knickers over such a thought...but if it's something that can eliminate [most] crimes of deception then oppositional arguments will be pretty darn weak.

On the net....re Brad's thoughts....it might put another barrier in the way of all those online nasties like paedophilia and cyberbullying....

 

....and Nigerian Scams.....
End of Jafo's quote

Or a better way to control whaqt you can or can't do on the internet; keep track of what you say and so on.  Yea this will be the day I stop using the internet all together.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Weren't we taught to Not put all our eggs in one basket.>_> <_<

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Philly0381, reply 7
'Federated IDs are the future'

Well, for me that is just way too much like Star Trek, and a bit weird.  
End of Philly0381's quote

 

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

If this happened on total scale I'd quit the internet, it would be heartbreaking to see all the interesting subjects degenerate into personality orientated garbage. Anonymity, even if simulated, is the precondition for interesting conversations in my book.

God I can just hear it now : 'You've changed man...' Vomit.

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

 

Quoting Frogboy, reply 3
Federated IDs wouldn't be mandatory. No service is going to require you use someone else's ID.
End of Frogboy's quote

Wrong!

Frogboy, read Craig Mundie's (Microsoft executive) proposed changes/treaties being hammered out at the UN.

http://curiouscapitalist.blogs.time.com/2010/01/30/drivers-licenses-for-the-internet/

Internet 'Drivers Licenses' have near zero public appeal despite Time Magazine's and the NY Times full approval.  The only reason why those meida outlets support this ridiculous move is because people are dumping them over the internet.  China tried a similiar measure concerning blogs and the same people who support this measure cried foul on China for violation of human rights, hypocrites.

 

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I think some people are reading a lot more into federated IDs than necessary.

Federated IDs are an optional way for people to logon with their UserID and password from another service. In addition, it lets people optionally integrate their virtual "stuff" together.

A good first step example is Tweetdeck where I can enter in my info from Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, whatever and manage all my stuff together.

Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Federated IDs are a technical thing before they are a market thing. They make plenty of sense to me in a formal (business) context where domain trust relationships are contractual and trust violations would be actionable. But I'll have nothing to do with such a thing in the consumer market until we in the US see some fundamental legislation passed that shifts the consumer profiling balance of power from companies to citizens. As it stands, we in the US are by far the most heavily-dossiered people in history, and the vast majority of that personal profile information is in privately owned databases. Federated IDs as a private service would simply exacerbate the privacy/autonomy problems.

Or have I missed a revolutionary change for orgs like Facebook and Twitter that lets users retain ownership of the unique data that they input under their IDs?

Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top

In theory the idea is great, I've been thinking about it for quite some time now. Indeed it would be great not having to register at various sites but having just one registration used at all sites. But besides technical problems (what if your nick is already being used at a site you try to access?) the privacy issues are much graver. The company that holds the key to all your accounts holds the key to your whole life. Services like Facebook are already far too intruding (when I had to register, I used my spam-email and a fake name and it showed me all my friends and acquaintances). I wouldn't want to give so much knowledge to one single company so easily. After all, they want to make money and what's more valuable nowadays than information?

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Frogboy, reply 13
I think some people are reading a lot more into federated IDs than necessary.

Federated IDs are an optional way for people to logon with their UserID and password from another service. In addition, it lets people optionally integrate their virtual "stuff" together.

A good first step example is Tweetdeck where I can enter in my info from Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, whatever and manage all my stuff together.
End of Frogboy's quote

That why I don't get this because I don't go to any of those above locations.  I guess I'm just not a social networking kind of person. :S

Reply #17 from Elemental Forums Top

What does it matter that some corporations got your info..?   Are you afraid of spam mails or offers?   I don't see the danger in that. A grocerychain called ICA tracks what you buy and send you discount checks on groceries you've bought some times.

 

If the government had all my info though....!    That's why I want a secret identity. Just need to find somebody the same age and give out that info if I f.e are caught going by train for free ^_^

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Weren't we taught to Not put all our eggs in one basket.
End of quote

Exactly!  I don't like the idea of Federated ID's at all... too many eggs in one place.  Not that I'm into social networking anyhow, but if I were, I'd want to keep individual sites/memberships separate.

Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I would much rather see something that isn't kept on somebody elses server. My thought would be; thumbdrives are so small and light they could just be kept in you wallet/purse/keychain, when you want to multi-login to something like above you just plug it into the USB port of the PC you on at the time, it interfaces with the browser and bam your in with your single login. When your through you pull out your TD all info on the PC is erased immediately and your on your merry way with your info safely on your person. Even could be kept in an encrypted state in case you lost the thing. Of course it would take a little work to get it all going and the details worked out, but I would much rather use soemthing like that.