Google is adding a new way for people to recover their accounts. The company is rolling out selfie video verification, a feature that asks users to record a short video to prove they are the real account owner. It is meant for people who cannot sign in using their regular ID and password and need extra help getting back into their accounts.
The feature will appear only when Google needs more proof of identity during the recovery process. To enable this feature, users need to record a short selfie video by following on-screen instructions. Generally, these instructions will ask users to do a series of head movements. Then the video will be securely stored in the user’s Google Account with their permission.
The company says the goal is to make account recovery both easier and safer. The company has assured that the video will be encrypted while stored and can be deleted by users at any time via their account settings. For now, the feature is rolling out gradually to eligible users. There’s no specific criteria, so users have to check their account to see whether the feature is available.
According to Google, a short video is usually harder to fake than a single photo. Someone can copy or edit a picture, and AI tools can also create fake images. A video is different because it shows natural face movements and different angles, making it much more difficult for someone else to pretend to be another person.
The video also provides Google’s security system with more information to verify before granting access to an account. No security method is foolproof, but video verification adds another layer of security and makes it more difficult for fraudsters to fool the system.