There’s an exciting trend afoot with blog or Web site comments. Facebook has developed a new login procedure bloggers can implement on their Web sites. It’s called Facebook Connect. Essentially, it allows a quick login to a bloggers commenting system using a pre-existing Facebook login. This allows the majority of Web surfers the speedy option of bypassing a blog-specific login. Also, first time users wouldn’t need to register on a blog. Furthermore, real names and photos could be used on the comments, increasing the legitimacy of the comment.
One of the criticisms of blog comments has been that anyone can post any comment and usually do so anonymously. While I think there are some benefits to anonymous comments and should be an option, I believe the Facebook Connect option gives blogs a chance at becoming a more serious news and entertainment source. Many people have seen Godwin’s law in effect throughout the Web. A system like Facebook Connect could help mitigate the law that states as online discussions grow longer the likelihood increases of a comparison to Hitler or Nazis. I’ve seen the law in effect in Yahoo! message boards.
Many blogging platforms have indicated they are working on developing the necessary code to implement the feature. Since there is a bit of code involved I don’t think it will happen in the next few weeks, but I would expect it in the coming months. TechCrunch has noted that 20% of their commenters are logging in via Facebook Connect.
This whole notion of a unified login system brings me back several years to Microsoft’s failed Passport account. Microsoft tried to create a unified login system with your credit card information so you could go from shopping site to shopping site and use only one login for quick access to checkout. What a great idea! It failed, however. With the widespread acceptance of Facebook and no credit card information involved (at least not yet), I see this unified login system working.
What the Web really needs is fewer logins. With so many users on the Web now it seems inevitable using the Web will get easier. One fewer steps means one less discouraged Web user in my opinion.
With more veracity in blogging comments, should you believe the phrase, “don’t believe everything you read”? With a real name and photo, I’d think about it before invoking Godwin’s law…
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I see you’re using WordPress, if you used Blogger, every time you logged into Google you’d be logged into Blogger, Gmail, Docs, etc. so Google is kind of doing the same thing as Passport. Oh and Google will collect your credit card info but its by choice, Google Checkout
HA!
Well, OpenID seems to be gaining steam, but we’re still far from a one-login system. Google checkout isn’t supported by Amazon, Target, or Walmart as far as I can tell. I think Facebook has the most potential simply because of its astounding 140 million active users. Plus, like I mention in the blog post, with Facebook Connect you’ll get the profile photo in comments which I think makes a big difference for the legitamcy of comments.
For this blog and a few others, people can visit http://www.gravatar.com to setup a pic for comments. Registration is quick!