Login in to forum through Social media accounts

[DanielGarneau]

This thread was born from an answer I received from LeadCrow to a related question I asked about registering and login procedure for non technical users. The answer was excellent, and it made me realize that I should open this thread to discuss it separately. In a nutshell, the simplest route for end-users is to login through social medias.

Regarding that option, the OneAllSocialLogin extension for PhpBB does exactly that. To use it, you have to open and configure an account at www.OneAll.com, so that the extension will work on your instance of phpBB. This is part of the configuration process for the extension. So far so good.

But you also have to open-up a developer's account on each of the platform that you want your users to be able to login from. To do this, both FB and Twitter require that you provide a mobile phone telephone number so they can text you a code or validation number. That is what made me hesitate so far. As I tried to do the steps required from Google+, I was met with an error I have not so far been able to resolve - but no phone number seems to be required from them. That might come later in the process for Google+. I have not tried yet with my LinkedIn or RedIt accounts.

So I'm not so sure what to do about this. Any thoughts on the matter?

 

[haqzore]

Not sure what to do about.... What?

Do you want simple login methods or not?

I honestly don't understand your hesitation.

Here's another question: Why NOT have social media login?

 

[LeadCrow]

You might want to avoid middlemen like this OneAll. It seems their business model is based on imposing limitations on your use and selling the removal of those limitations, whereas you could be in full, unrestricted and exclusive control of your users/site data by setting up the few integrations you want yourself. This service might offer convenience but that many integrations are not necessary, and the social login APIs dont change often enough to break your board's login system for long (normal accounts will always keep working, as well as accounts with a completed signup procedure).

Regarding the requirement to create an 'app' for Facebook integration, its necessary. You can do so using your normal Facebook account, and I think a phone number isnt required either (it should be fine though, youd want the account used for your site's FB integration secured).
In phpBB, you can setup oAuth fairly straightforwardedly. For reference, here are Xenforo's instructions on this.

 

[DanielGarneau]

Not sure what to do about.... What?

Do you want simple login methods or not?

I honestly don't understand your hesitation.

Here's another question: Why NOT have social media login?

It seems a bit more elaborate and time consuming than I had thought it would be, so it makes me hesitate.

 

[DanielGarneau]

You might want to avoid middlemen like this OneAll. It seems their business model is based on imposing limitations on your use and selling the removal of those limitations, whereas you could be in full, unrestricted and exclusive control of your users/site data by setting up the few integrations you want yourself. This service might offer convenience but that many integrations are not necessary, and the social login APIs dont change often enough to break your board's login system for long (normal accounts will always keep working, as well as accounts with a completed signup procedure).

Regarding the requirement to create an 'app' for Facebook integration, its necessary. You can do so using your normal Facebook account, and I think a phone number isnt required either (it should be fine though, youd want the account used for your site's FB integration secured).
In phpBB, you can setup oAuth fairly straightforwardedly. For reference, here are Xenforo's instructions on this.

Thank's LeadCrow for pointing me in the direction of PhpBB Authentication Panel for OAuth, and for the link towards Xenforo's instructions as a reference for integrating social medias such as FB, Twitter, etc.

 

[haqzore]

It seems a bit more elaborate and time consuming than I had thought it would be, so it makes me hesitate.

It's been many years since I used phpBB (I miss it!). If it's time consuming, so what?

If you can make any part of your new community easier or more user friendly, I'd say it's worth it. Who knows how many registrations it might net you through the life of your site. Especially at this early juncture when recruitment is hardest.

I'd also avoid 3rd party tools whenever possible.

 

[Splinter2]

I've added third party registration with Google and Facebook on my forum (WoltLab Suite 3.0) simply to make it simpler for people to join and to do that I didn't need a plugin.
I was hoping, rather naively for an upturn in membership, but maybe that needs a little more time.

 

[DanielGarneau]

You might want to avoid middlemen like this OneAll. It seems their business model is based on imposing limitations on your use and selling the removal of those limitations, whereas you could be in full, unrestricted and exclusive control of your users/site data by setting up the few integrations you want yourself. This service might offer convenience but that many integrations are not necessary, and the social login APIs dont change often enough to break your board's login system for long (normal accounts will always keep working, as well as accounts with a completed signup procedure).

Regarding the requirement to create an 'app' for Facebook integration, its necessary. You can do so using your normal Facebook account, and I think a phone number isnt required either (it should be fine though, youd want the account used for your site's FB integration secured).
In phpBB, you can setup oAuth fairly straightforwardedly. For reference, here are Xenforo's instructions on this.

Hello LeadCrow, I decided to follow your advice and configure my forum through the oAuth authentication protocol. Thank you for your advice.

So far, I successfully followed the Xenforo's instructions for creating a FaceBook application.

However, at this point in time, I can't figure out where I should copy the bits of code provided by the FaceBook Application with instructions to copy it on my site for their steps 2 through 4:

• Step 2. Set Up the Facebook SDK for Javascript;
• Step 3. Check Login Status;
• Step 4. Add Login Button.

Here is the explanation they provide for step 2:

The Facebook SDK for JavaScript doesn't have any standalone files that need to be downloaded or installed, instead you simply need to include a short piece of regular JavaScript in your HTML that will asynchronously load the SDK into your pages. The async load means that it does not block loading other elements of your page.
The following snippet of code will give the basic version of the Facebook SDK for JavaScript where the options are set to their most common defaults. Insert the following code snippet directly after the opening `<body>` tag on each page you want to use Facebook Analytics. Replace `{your-app-id}` with the App ID and `{latest-api-version}` with the SDK version:​

And here is the code provided along the explanation for step 2 is:

<script>
window.fbAsyncInit = function() {
FB.init({
appId : '{your-app-id}',
cookie : true,
xfbml : true,
version : '{latest-api-version}'
});

FB.AppEvents.logPageView();

};

(function(d, s, id){
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
</script>​

There are likewise explanations and bits of code for steps 3 and 4, and I don't know what I should do with any of this.

Therefore, I am under the impression that although I did successfully create a FaceBook app, it is empty and will do nothing until I place the code provided in the right files on my forum. Can anyone tell me what files those would be? Thank you in advance for any responses from anyone of you.

 

[DanielGarneau]

After posting my last question, I realized I might have gotten it all wrong, and that perhaps the code is already included within PhpBB. In this case, all I would have to do would be to insert the key and the secret code into the authentification fields of the oAuth protocol. So I published my FB app (made it public) in its current state, then I entered the key and secret code for FB in the proper field. This did not work either. The registration process into my forum did not include a FB option.

So what am I missing in this process of implementing a FB login to my forum? I know it has nothing to do with the method used (through oAuth or throug a plugin), since either way the FaceBook application must be created. Anyone has any insight about this?

 

[salem]

As far as I remember , using OAuth through the boards authentication allows log in only and not registration
hence the push to Oneall which does have the advantage of updates when the social networks change their code.
Quick log in extension should have fb button when OAuth enabled

For 3.1 but should be fine for 3.2
https://www.phpbb.com/support/docs/en/3.1/ug/adminguide/general_client