New website names shame companies that still don’t offer passkeys to users

When it comes to securing accounts against hackers, passkeys are now widely considered the gold standard.

However, these services are still not available on one in four major online apps and services, including Instagram, Netflix and Spotify. These statistics come from a new website that names companies that still don’t give users the option to use passkeys to log in to their apps and services.

Passkeys are more secure than passwords because they are generated by the user’s device and linked to that phone or computer and the website for which they were created. They can rely on biometrics such as Face ID, Touch ID, or a physical security key; They can be automatically stored in someone’s password manager. The crucial advantage of a passkey is that the user doesn’t have to remember anything – unlike a password – and it is very difficult for a hacker to steal or phish it unless they gain physical control over the target’s devices.

Scott Helm, the longtime security researcher who created the website Whynopasskeys.com, wrote in a blog post that the motivation behind the site is to push companies to enable passkeys and give users the opportunity to adopt them. “The list is a surprisingly effective motivator. No one wants to be on the list,” Helme wrote.

Big companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft are on the good side of the list and offer passkeys to users.

It’s important to note that users can turn on passkeys on Instagram, but only if their accounts are linked to a Facebook account with the passkey enabled.

Meta did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment about why some of its products, like Facebook and WhatsApp, offer passkeys, but Instagram does not. TechCrunch also reached out to Netflix and Spotify. This article will be updated if any of these companies provide comment.