Google has begun encouraging users to record video selfies, ostensibly to make account recovery easier. But a closer look at the subsequent consent screen suggests there may be more behind these requests than first meets the eye.
A card spotted by Search Engine Watch appears on the Google Search page, prompting the user to capture a short video of their face from different angles. The user can accept or decline; if they accept, they are taken to a consent page that “explains that Google may review the video with a model to determine whether the person is real and old enough to use certain Google services,” Search Engine Watch reports. “It also offers an optional ‘Improve Google services’ setting, which allows Google to use the selfie video and related data to improve facial recognition, age estimation, and other verification methods.”
Google first announced Selfie Video Sign-In in July. The brand angled it as a useful feature for users who often forget their passwords, lose access to secondary devices, or can’t use passkeys like Touch ID. Selfie Video Sign-In doesn’t replace passwords, passkeys, or two-step verification; it’s just a supplement.
During setup, the account holder looks into a phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop camera and follows instructions to turn their head. Google uses the recording to capture the face from different angles and check whether a real person appears in the video. If the account holder later needs help recovering the account, Google may request another selfie video and compare it with the saved recording.
Google says it encrypts the video and lets account holders delete it at any time through their Google Account settings.
For now, the option appears to be limited to only some accounts; we couldn’t get the Selfie Video Sign-In prompt to pop up in Google Search.
