How do you sign up for a mobile application?

yindan · June 1, 2017 12:20PM

<body>Time for a poll!Consumer Lab would like to learn about your preferred method of signing up for a mobile application. When you sign up for an application, do you prefer an email or text to get the verification code? 1. Please select one of the options below and post a comment with your reasoning. Although there is no right or wrong answer, please provide sound reasoning to support your selection. 2. In addition, we would like to learn about the way you log into a mobile application. Do you use a 3rd party application to log in? If so, which 3rd party applications do you use most frequently for logging into applications.</body>

frodriguez2010 · June 1, 2017 2:38PM

I like getting it in an email so I may archive it.

runtohell121 · June 1, 2017 4:35PM

I prefer e-mail. I'm able to keep track of e-mails and find it later if needed to review some registration information as opposed to text message, where I might delete the message after it being verified. I also switch phones somewhat often, so that some verification text might not follow and/or using a different sim.

E-mails are just easier to me to keep track of the new accounts I open.

ironbaybeedoll · June 1, 2017 6:19PM

Honestly I hate verification codes and 9 out of 10 times will leave if I have to give me number for texts. Email is better, but I still see no real point other than they get my info.

mobilegeezer · June 2, 2017 1:26AM

I prefer text, simply because it is most immediate. I can always save it in downloads, if I need to keep it.

saeedted · June 2, 2017 5:33AM

Send me to the website or wherever the application is located. I prefer to be notified of the app in a tweet or a newsletter in an email. 3rd party apps I use is Lastpass to remember passwords if there is no google sign in option.

coldheat06 · June 2, 2017 6:59AM

I like to receive a Text...... but I also like it when the text verification is automatically read but the application that is requesting it. They way I don't have to go over to my text message and copy the code to place it in box or something.......

saeedted · June 2, 2017 7:22AM

OHHH Did they mean registering for the first time for an app? In that case I certainly prefer the sms with a code and even more when the code is automatically read.

samsamha · June 3, 2017 9:27AM

while I prefer text because it is faster, I normally choose email because for easier record keeping. Normally, if it is a trusted source and I need the information immediately, I would choose text. However, if it not something I need right now or the source is a bit iffy, I would choose email. Part of the reason that I choose email is because I just hate the text spam. Email spam at least I can still filter what I want to read and not to read.

misschelet · June 3, 2017 5:20PM

I prefer emal mainly bcuz sometimes I can't get texts to my phone for one reason or another.

dnewman007 · June 4, 2017 12:09PM

Email here

biggiemac02 · June 4, 2017 1:22PM

i always have acces to my email

razor512 · June 4, 2017 4:30PM

I prefer email fora number of reasons.

Texting is not as secure.
When you get verification codes using email, you are able to effectively sign up and us e the app on a tablet, as well as on smartphones which you mat not have a SIM card in at the time.
If you are in a location with WiFi but no cellular signal, texting is rather useless, especially on more restrictive networks.

I do use last pass to sign into a number of applications, especially when using a generated password that is not easy to remember.

louisd · June 6, 2017 3:36PM

I prefer email because I often use smaller carriers, some VoIP backed, which don't always receive the activation texts. An example is a company like Republic Wireless, because the numbers are technically bandwidth.com VoIP numbers, many apps simply refuse to acknowledge the numbers as capable of receiving text messages.

trotter · June 7, 2017 2:38AM

Email if I have to sign up for it, but I prefer to pick and choose my own applications through the Play Store so I can check out the reviews. yes, I know most of the bad reviews are by ignorant people but you can still glean quite a bit overall.

jshpmn89 · June 7, 2017 10:21PM

you can type easier

wiseman13 · June 8, 2017 7:48AM

When signing up I prefer email as I might be on my tablet, so text messages are not very helpful.

For logging in I use LastPass and Google Auth for all of my 2 factor management.

badbucs2 · June 8, 2017 9:15AM

I want the new Android nugget for my zmax pro.

cavanaughtim · June 9, 2017 5:33AM

I prefer text messages for any kind of TFA. Apart from the sheer convenience, it's also the line of communication that I'm least likely to get locked out of: it's essentially a physical token (the SIM card), reasonably secure but not locked behind any kind of password or authentication of its own.

So that's my preference for the verification code (although a choice is always nice). However, I don't mind getting a confirmation email when I sign up for a new service. That's useful later on if you forget your User ID or something.

razor512 · June 9, 2017 6:14AM

Wanted to add this as a reason why text messaging is not secure. https://medium.com/@CodyBrown/how-to-lose-8k-worth-of-bitcoin-in-15-minutes-with-verizon-and-coinbase-com-ba75fb8d0bac

If there is so little verification to switch someone's account to a new SIM card, then texting as a second factor is useless, someone going after you will be able to easily compromise that second factor.

On the other hand, a more localized time based system will not be easily compromised.

Email is also not very secure, but it is more secure than text messages, and more compatible since it works on almost any device with an internet connection and the ability to run apps these days.

Beyond that, quickly getting a time based second factor, means that even if someone compromises your cell service, they will not get a hold of your second factor.

cavanaughtim · June 9, 2017 6:33AM

Certainly SMS is not bulletproof or anything close to it. And actually with services T-mobile Digits, hacking into somebody's SMS can be simpler than the method described in that link. But when it comes to security, at least for fairly trivial things like signing up for an app or service, I am a fan of the "good enough" approach--the internet-security equivalent to locking your doors but not barring your windows. SMS definitely meets my "good enough" standard.

darkside18070 · June 9, 2017 7:46PM

I use Facebook to log in most

dnewman007 · June 10, 2017 3:11AM

I use Facebook as well when I don't want to make a separate login.

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How do you sign up for a mobile application?

How do you sign up for a mobile application? 81 votes

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