Pulse of Truth

Seems like every website wants us to stop using passwords. There is a replacement we are being asked to use instead called passkeys. This should be a tad concerning if passwords are familiar to you and you don’t fully understand these nebulous passkeys.

Websites say that passkeys are more secure or more convenient or something similarly beneficial. While it is true that passkeys can be far more secure than passwords, and may indeed be more convenient, that’s not the whole story. Passkeys are not designed to prioritize your interests. Like the Trojan Horse, passkeys are legitimately elegant on the surface, but there is something troubling inside.

What’s important to know is that unlike with any other kind of login credential, you do not have ultimate control over your passkeys. With passwords, you can choose where to write them down; with authenticator apps, you can decide for yourself which ones to use (they’re pretty interchangeable); and with physical security keys you can hand them to your colleague if you really trust them. But with passkeys come a hidden dial that lets the websites you use them on gradually remove your ability to do as you please with them.