Facebook Login is a convenient but sometimes confusing feature, not just on Cropital but also on the other services that use it. The key thing you need to understand is that logging in via Facebook actually creates a new account for you on Cropital.
What does the Continue with Facebook button do?
Clicking on the Continue with Facebook button during log-in or sign-up lets you use Facebook's single sign-on (SSO) system, simply called Facebook Login, with Cropital. This allows you to sign up for, and to sign in to, our platform without having to enter a password specific to your Cropital account; instead, we use your Facebook account's credentials, with your permission.
Note that the “login” in Facebook Login can be confusing: the feature is used not just to log in to an existing Cropital account, but also to sign up for a new one. This is how SSO systems like Facebook Login work on the internet in general, and it is not unique to Cropital. (See “Does using Facebook Login mean I don't have to create a Cropital account?” below.)
This is how Facebook Login works the first time you use it with Cropital:
- Clicking on the button redirects you temporarily to the Facebook platform. You will be asked to log in to Facebook, if you're not logged in yet.
- Facebook asks for your permission to share basic account information with Cropital. Currently we only use the email address and profile name associated with your Facebook account. Facebook does not and will never share your Facebook password with Cropital.
- Facebook sends us your account information, and we use it to create a new account for you in our own platform if there is no Cropital account yet with the same email address (or else you are simply logged in to that existing account). Your Cropital account's name will initially be set to your Facebook profile name. If you would like to use a different name in your Cropital account (e.g. if your Facebook account is not in your legal name), we recommend that you sign up via email instead. You can still use Facebook to log in afterwards (see “Can I still use Facebook Login if I've already signed up…” below).
- You are redirected back to the Cropital platform, and you are logged in with your new Cropital account.
On your next visit to Cropital, you can then click again on the button to log in:
- Clicking on the button again redirects you to Facebook, and you will be asked to log in again to Facebook, if not yet logged in. But if you are already logged in with Facebook, this redirection will be invisible; you will be immediately brought back to Cropital.
- Behind the scenes, when you're already logged in with Facebook, Facebook certifies your identity for our platform.
- You are redirected back and logged in automatically to Cropital.
Note that the Continue with Facebook buttons on the Cropital log-in and registration pages actually work the same way. This means you can sign-up for an account using the button on the log-in page, or you can log-in using the button on the sign-up page. Our platform only determines the existence and identity of accounts based on the email address.
Cropital accounts created through Facebook Login initially don't have a separate password (because you use your Facebook password to log in to Facebook, and then Facebook simply certifies your identity for Cropital). However, you can choose to set up a separate Cropital account password so that you can log-in without going through Facebook (see “Can I still use Facebook Login if I've already signed up…” below).
How are my Facebook and Cropital accounts associated/linked with each other?
The email address stored in your Facebook account is what Cropital uses to identify you on our platform. Every time you use Facebook Login, this is the essential piece of information that Facebook exchanges with our platform behind the scenes to identify your Cropital account.
As a consequence of the link between your Facebook account's email address and your Cropital account's email address, if you change the email address on your Facebook account without making a corresponding update on Cropital, you might generate a new Cropital account when continuing to use Facebook Login.
Please keep your Facebook account's email address in sync with your Cropital account address if you intend to continue using Facebook Login. Alternatively, you can log in directly to your Cropital account using your email address and a new password (see “Can I still use Facebook Login if I've already signed up…” below).
Does using Facebook Login mean I don't have to create a Cropital account?
Actually, when you use Facebook Login for the first time with Cropital, you are also creating a Cropital account. This is how it works everywhere, on all third-party apps or websites that use Facebook Login; it is not unique to Cropital.
Facebook Login is mainly a convenience feature that makes it easier to use the data that you already have on Facebook, for other services and platforms. With Cropital, this makes the sign-up and sign-in processes faster, although other tools such as browser auto-fill and password managers can also provide these benefits.
If I delete or deactivate my Facebook account, will my Cropital account still be accessible?
Yes. Because your Cropital account is separate and distinct from your Facebook profile, deleting or deactivating the latter will not affect the former.
You can log-in directly to Cropital to ‘recover’ your account even if it was created through Facebook Login, as long as you are aware which email address was associated with your Facebook account when it was used to create your Cropital account. See “Can I still use Facebook Login if I've already signed up…” below.
Can I still use Facebook Login if I've already signed up for a Cropital account using email? Or, conversely, can I log-in via email if I've already used Facebook Login?
Yes and yes.
In the first case, when you already have a Cropital account and want to use Facebook Login, you only need to make sure that the email address associated with your Facebook account is the same as the one you are using for Cropital. And then, click on the Continue with Facebook button on the log-in page. Authorize Facebook to share details with Cropital, and afterwards your two accounts will now be linked. On your next visit to Cropital, you can use either Facebook Login or email-and-password login for the same account.
In the second case, you just need to set up a password for your Cropital account, which you can do by clicking on the ‘Forgot password?’ link on the log-in page and then entering your Facebook-associated email address. After completing the password reset process, you can use either password login or Facebook Login on your next visit to the Cropital platform.
Is using Facebook Login with Cropital secure?
Yes, although because Facebook Login uses your Facebook credentials to log in to your Cropital account, your Cropital account can only be as secure as your Facebook account. Kindly refer to the Facebook Help Center for information on how to keep your Facebook account safe.
If you choose to set up a Cropital password directly, we recommend the best practice of using random password generators and password managers. Please do not use the same password between your email, Facebook, and Cropital accounts.
Are my Facebook account and data safe with Cropital?
Yes, definitely. Facebook enumerates what Cropital can do with your account on the authorization screen that shows up the first time you use Facebook Login. Currently, it says that we are merely asking for read-access to basic profile information such as your name and email address, which we use to create your account and identify you every time you log in. We will never post anything on Facebook under your account without your permission—actually, we are unable to do so even if you asked us to because Facebook no longer allows third-party platforms to automatically publish posts on behalf of personal accounts.
Privacy is very important to Cropital, and we guarantee that any data that Cropital captures about you will be used solely to perform and improve our services in a fair and just manner.