What is a potential risk when using social login for an e-commerce application?

Using social login for an e-commerce application introduces several potential risks, particularly regarding user data privacy and dependency on the social network's availability.

Loss of user data privacy is a significant concern because users may not fully understand what data they are sharing with the e-commerce application when they use their social media accounts to log in. This sharing can lead to vulnerabilities where sensitive user information could be misused or exposed, thereby compromising user privacy. E-commerce applications often carry a responsibility to safeguard user data, and reliance on third-party social networks can complicate compliance with privacy regulations.

Additionally, if the social network experiences downtime, the e-commerce application may prevent users from logging in or accessing their accounts. This dependency on the operational reliability of the social network introduces an element of risk where accessibility can be compromised, potentially leading to lost sales and customer dissatisfaction.

Combining these two risks makes the selection of both user data privacy concerns and the potential loss of access when the social network is unavailable particularly relevant, highlighting the dual threat that social login can pose to an e-commerce platform.