Get the latest news on your mobile!
Download: Youth Darpan App
Technology • World

Why people don’t sign up on hook-up apps with FB accounts

As per the researchers led by an Indian-origin scientist, When it comes to hook-up or extra-marital apps like Tinder or Gleeden, people prefer to use their email address or open a new account rather than using Facebook (FB) or such other social media app logins owing to privacy fears.

Moreover, The researchers at Penn State University has remarked that participants in a research were willing to use their FB ID to access apps such as class reunion and matchmaking apps, but it refused to use the same feature for an app that arranges extramarital affairs, it said.

According to the researchers, who released their findings in the Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, the single sign-on is designed to make logging on to apps more convenient, they stated.

Meanwhile, “The findings shows that because people try to keep sensitive areas of their relationships separate from other parts of their lives, they may hesitate to use single sign-on services,” remarked S Shyam Sundar, James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State.

According to Sundar and co-director of the Media Effects Research Laboratory, “Even though technically one’s activities on Tinder will not be visible to friends on FB, they seem to have a psychological fear of that happening, so they want to keep their social networks separate and not have them bleed over into other parts of their lives,”.

Following the same findings, Just the idea that they might be using a hook-up app or affair app would be too scandalous for some people and wouldn’t be something they would want shared. Further, To conduct the experiment, the researchers created four different sign-up pages for relationship apps with varying degrees of sensitivity, including a high school reunion app, a matchmaking app for more serious relationships, a hook-up app for less serious dating, and an affair-arrangement app.

Notably, They then recruited 364 participants through an online microwork site and randomly assigned them to one of those four conditions and the participants could either choose to access the app through one of three social media single sign-on features, or use their e-mail address or create a new account specifically for that app, The research said.

However, The participants were then asked a series of questions on perceived security, ease of sharing and usability of the app. The main reason why people use their Facebook ID instead of using their e-mail address or creating a new account is the ease with which they can share the app with their friends.

“The flipside is that it prevents them from using their social media login information for privacy-sensitive apps,”. The security-conscious users are particularly prone to this tendency. “We found that the tendency to avoid using Facebook ID for affair apps was significantly higher for individuals who have less faith in the security of online systems in general,” asserted Sundar.

Despite all of this, Sundar also suggested that the concerned research findings have broader implications outside of the realms of dating and relationships. “This is just as applicable to sites that enable financial transactions, such as stock trading sites, or bank sites, where people are very concerned about their information and protecting their transactions,” asserted Sundar.

Author: Trilok Singh, Currently Studies Masters in Mass Communication & Journalism at ISOMES, News 24 Campus. MA in Political Science, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. Currently, CEO at Youth Darpan Media and IASmind.

First Published at India’s Journal By the Author.

About the author

Trilok Singh

Mr. Trilok Kumar Singh is a media entrepreneur, researcher, and academic associated with K.R. Mangalam University and several digital platforms. Mr. Singh is presently teaching in the School of Emerging Media and Creator Economy (SEMCE) at K.R. Mangalam University (KRMU), Gurugram, while pursuing a Ph.D. in Journalism and Mass Communication at the same university.​ He holds a master’s degree in Political Science from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and a master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Galigotias University, along with a postgraduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism from International School of Journalism and Mass Communication, News 24 Campus.

He has built multiple digital ventures in news and social media, including Youth Darpan Media, IASmind.com, Post AtoZ Social Media, Micro BlogIN, and the International Journal of Journalism and Mass Communication (IJJMC), where he serves in leadership roles. His platforms and initiatives have been highlighted by various media outlets, and he has several years of experience in the digital media ecosystem as a founder and CEO. Mr. Singh has written extensively on sustainability, climate change, international relations, foreign policy, Indian politics, governance, and contemporary issues, contributing hundreds of articles and opinion pieces to Indian and global digital platforms. In addition, he has authored multiple journal articles and book chapters, further strengthening his academic and professional contributions to media and communication studies.

In 2025, Trilok Singh published a research article titled “Navigating Media Regulation and Censorship in Over‑the‑Top Platforms” and six book chapters: “Sustainable Development Cooperation Under India’s G20 Presidency,” “Digital Pathways to Sustainability: Assessing the Role and Impact of OTT Platforms in Advancing the United Nations SDGs,” and “The Role of Digital Media in Promoting Sustainable Business Practices in Delhi NCR,” among others. He also received two Best Research Paper Presenter awards at one international and one national conference in recognition of this work.

Add Comment

Click here to post a comment