Yahoo announces support for OpenID standard

Yahoo has announced support for the OpenID 2.0 standard for a universal Internet log-in, bringing service interoperability on the Web significantly closer.

OpenID is a de-centralised single log-in system. When using an OpenID-enabled site, a web user registered with an OpenID identity provider (IdP), would not need to use a separate user name and password to log in.

OpenID was created by Web 2.0 developer Brad Fitzpatrick, a key figure in Google’s OpenSocial developer initiative.

Although the OpenID standard is now used on large sites like AOL and Plaxo, it has a long way to go before gaining universal acceptance.

Yahoo’s support will now make OpenID-compatible accounts available to 248 million Yahoo users. When its support goes live, it will be possible for a Yahoo ID to be consolidated into an OpenID account which will be valid at all partner sites.

This means that anyone with a Yahoo! ID will be able to use the same ID for easy access to any sites that support OpenID 2.0. Yahoo is planning a public beta launch on January 30.

OpenID-enabled sites will have the option of displaying a “Sign in with your Yahoo ID” button.