Google Introduces Selfie Video Recovery for Locked Accounts

Google has announced a new selfie video recovery feature that allows users locked out of their accounts to regain access by recording a short video of their face. The feature is opt-in and designed to provide an additional authentication method beyond traditional email or phone number recovery.

To set up the feature, users record a selfie video by following guided head movements to capture their face from multiple angles. When locked out, a new selfie video is compared to the saved one to verify identity. Google emphasizes that the video is encrypted at rest and used solely for account recovery unless users opt to share data for improving facial recognition and age estimation technologies.

The feature is not available for Google Workspace accounts, child accounts, or those enrolled in the Advanced Protection Program. Users cannot add a selfie video while already locked out; it must be set up in advance. Google also notes that significant facial changes may require updating the saved video.

Additionally, Google Cloud Fraud Defense has introduced a hand gesture verification system for reCAPTCHA, which uses 21 hand-knuckle coordinates to verify liveness without retaining images or videos after verification.