Industry Odisha Bureau, July 24: Google has introduced a new selfie video verification feature for account sign-in. This will allow users to recover access to their accounts if they forget their password, lose access to a trusted device or cannot use two-factor authentication.
The new Google sign in feature lets users record a short selfie video using a smartphone or a computer. Google stores the video securely in the cloud using encryption. During account recovery, users record another short video, which Google compares with the stored version to verify their identity.
In order to set up the feature, users need to look into the camera and follow simple on-screen instructions. This will include basic head movements. Google said these movements help capture multiple angles of the face and improve verification accuracy.
The company said that the process is similar to facial authentication systems such as Apple’s Face ID. However, it does not require specialised infrared hardware.
Google further added that users can delete their stored selfie video at any time through their account settings. By default, the company will use the video only for sign-in verification, although users can choose to allow additional uses.
According to Google, the feature includes safeguards against impersonation attempts. It can detect and block sign-in attempts using photographs, pre-recorded videos and AI-generated deepfakes. The company also uses its existing security systems to identify suspicious login activity.
The selfie video verification will roll out gradually to users worldwide. Those interested can check its availability and enable it by visiting g.co/signin-selfie.
