Google on 22 May introduced a selfie video verification feature that allows users to recover locked accounts by recording a short clip of themselves performing guided head movements. The tool, positioned as a backup rather than a replacement for passkeys or passwords, compares a live recording against an encrypted reference video stored during setup. It is designed for scenarios where a user loses their phone, forgets their password, or cannot access two-factor authentication.

The system employs liveness detection to distinguish real individuals from deepfakes, photos, or pre-recorded videos. Google states that multiple layers of security prevent impersonation attempts, and that the reference videos are encrypted and can be deleted by users at any time. The feature is not intended for everyday logins; passkeys remain the default sign-in method for Google accounts.

The launch extends Google’s multi-year shift away from passwords, following the introduction of passkeys in 2023, and mirrors broader industry adoption of biometric verification by Apple, Microsoft, banks, and government agencies. Coverage in Latin American and Middle Eastern media highlighted privacy and biometric data concerns, while US reports situated the move within Alphabet’s broader artificial intelligence push, noting that the parent company’s cloud revenue surged 82% year-on-year to $24.77 billion last quarter. Google said selfie videos are used solely for authentication unless users explicitly consent to additional uses such as improving facial recognition or age estimation models.

The feature is available to eligible Google Account users from 22 May. Its reception in jurisdictions with stringent biometric data laws, particularly the European Union under the General Data Protection Regulation, will be a key indicator of its regulatory viability. Google has not disclosed plans for integrating the tool with age verification systems, though it separately tests selfie-based age checks with partners.