MySpace Joins OpenID Alliance

NewsCorp's MySpace has decided to join the OpenID alliance and let users start sharing information across other sites. By pairing with OpenID, MySpace users will no longer have to register for a number of Web sites, and instead will be able to log in to different networks using their MySpace password.

The move to join OpenID comes after a May decision by the online social network to allow its 100 million members to share profile information.

OpenID is an open-source service with the goal of eliminating the need for multiple registrations and online IDs for different Web sites.

"All this will tie together to make it more useful for MySpace users to have MySpace accounts even when they're not on MySpace," Jim Benedetto, the network's senior vice president of technology, told Reuters.

OpenID relies on members that qualify as "providers" or "relying parties," Benedetto told Reuters. A provider is an OpenID member that can create new OpenIDs. Meanwhile, a relying party can accept those IDs.

MySpace, at least initially, joins OpenID as a provider. This means that members can use their MySpace ID to join other sites that act as a relying party. Because MySpace won't function as a relying party, users from Yahoo -- which is also a provider and not a relying party -- won't be able to join MySpace with their Yahoo handle. But a site like Flixter that does act as a relying party will accept MySpace IDs, and users will be able to transfer information to that site.

Benedetto said MySpace will consider becoming a relying party in the future.

But right now, MySpace's goal is to be as integrated into the Web -- and user's lives -- as it can be. By potentially eliminating the need for users to create new IDs and remember new passwords every time they sign up for a Web site, the social networking company is hoping to give their product more traction.

"We hope you'll be able to take your MySpace friends wherever you go," Benedetto told Reuters.