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Trading off convenience and privacy in social login

Author

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  • Kim, Jin-Hyuk
  • Newberry, Peter
  • Wagman, Liad

Abstract

Social login enables users of digital services to access third-party websites and mobile applications by leveraging their existing login credentials from large digital platforms. This technology simplifies the login and account creation process, but also raises concerns about user privacy. We examine the trade-off between convenience and privacy in the context of social login and empirically show that users who register for a financial services website using social login exhibit shorter tenures and lower levels of activity on the website compared to other users. These findings suggest that the marginal privacy cost associated with social login is higher than its marginal convenience benefit for most of the users of the platform.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Jin-Hyuk & Newberry, Peter & Wagman, Liad, 2025. "Trading off convenience and privacy in social login," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:254:y:2025:i:c:s0165176525002460
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2025.112409
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics
    • O35 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Social Innovation

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