Google Adds Video Selfie Recovery for Locked Accounts, Citing Up to 10 Recovery Contacts as Alternative
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 23
Google Adds Video Selfie Recovery for Locked Accounts, Citing Up to 10 Recovery Contacts as Alternative
3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 23
Summary
Google said Thursday users locked out of their accounts or away from trusted devices can now upload a selfie video to regain access.
Video verification is meant to add liveness checks beyond still photos, while Google says it also reviews signals such as device location, IP address, browser settings and real-time movements to spot deepfakes.
Security experts warned advanced attackers can inject synthetic video streams, citing a $25 million 2024 deepfake scam at Arup as evidence that motion alone is not reliable proof of identity.
Google said selfie videos are encrypted at rest, stored on its servers, deletable by users, and optionally shareable for additional purposes that can include improving verification methods.
For users unwilling to submit biometric data, Google also offers account recovery contacts—up to 10 trusted people who can help restore access with a time-limited code.