RTL Group | Cologne, 07/28/2017

Launch of ‘Login Alliance’ in Germany

Subject: Media & Services
Country: Germany
Category: Project

Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE and United Internet AG with Web.de and GMX are teaming up to form a “Login Alliance” to strengthen the German digital economy. The online retailer Zalando will be the first partner to adopt this new login solution.

By taking this step, Germany's three leading media and internet companies are losing no time in adapting their platforms to the new European data protection standards, even before they go into force in May 2018. Furthermore, the project's three initiators will bring a combined monthly audience of 45 million unique users (source: AGOF Working Group for Online Media Research) to the project, a critical mass that should be the key to its success. The contract signed by the partners provides for the establishment of a foundation that will monitor both compliance with the standard and its further development. As an independent body, the foundation will support the implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the planned ePrivacy Regulation.

The Login Alliance aims to provide a simple, secure solution for arranging permissions to use online services (opt-ins) in a transparent manner compliant with data protection laws. To this end, the partners developed an open standard to enable the same login data to give users across different sectors access to all internet services covered by the initiative instead of having to enter different logins for each separate service. By the system's planned launch in 2018, users will already be able to use a single sign-on account to watch, for instance, content on Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland's TV Now and ProSieben's livestream service and download emails from Web.de or GMX as well as shop on the Zalando website.

Anke Schäferkordt, CEO of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland: "Our Login Alliance offers users a simple registration and log-in procedure for accessing the content and services provided by our partners. It gives our users transparency and full control of how their personal data is used online. Each additional company that joins our initiative increases the benefit to customers and at the same time strengthens the German digital economy."

What’s important is that the solution will ensure effective data sovereignty. Each user will have access to a standardized privacy center run by their account provider that guarantees the transparent handling of their data as well as tighter control over it. In this way, users will only need to go to one place to manage their data, change their password and give or withdraw consent about its use.

User data will only be shared between account providers and services if the users themselves have consented. The solution enables users to forego having to repeatedly re-enter their data manually or go through lengthy re-registration procedures potentially using different passwords. It also minimizes the risk of users forgetting login data for services they do not access regularly and makes it easier for them to acquaint themselves with unfamiliar online offerings.

The Login Alliance is also expressly open to other partners and initiatives, offering to extend the use of an open single sign-on to any online service. At the same time, the system will ensure that account providers' data is held within the EU, and regular auditing will guarantee that the standard is properly certified and monitored.

The fact that the Login Alliance creates an open standard for cross-sector cooperation clearly sets it apart from an approach involving central proprietary ecosystems for users and their data. The partners plan to roll out the new login service and personal privacy center this year and offer them to their customers by as early as 2018. Moreover, the alliance is also open to the idea of creating common standards with other initiatives.