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Tag: verification

  • Google’s Ai Age Verification Expands, Sparking Privacy Concerns

    Google’s Ai Age Verification Expands, Sparking Privacy Concerns

    Google expanded its AI verification tool for YouTube users in August to a select few accounts. Recently, the tech giant has started to implement this AI age verification to an increasing number of accounts.

    Google Enforces Age Verification for More Users

    In February, Google declared its intention to trial an AI tool designed to ascertain if YouTube users were under the age of 18. Initially, this tool was intended for a “small group” of users, but the company subsequently announced plans to roll it out more broadly. It appears the time for wider implementation has arrived, as YouTube users with restricted accounts have been congregating on the r/youtube subreddit to voice their objections to being asked to verify their age.

    Subreddit users have posted screenshots of a pop-up alert that appears overlaid on videos on mobile and tablet apps, and the web version of YouTube. The alert informs users that certain account settings have been modified and provides an option for age verification.

    Google’s AI Guesses User Ages

    In a support article, Google clarified that the AI-fueled system employs different signals to assess if a user is younger than 18. Some of the factors the system takes into account include the user’s activity and the duration of the account. Interestingly, some users have reported that the pop-up alert has appeared on accounts older than 18.

    If the AI determines an account is being used by someone under the age of 18, YouTube enforces various restrictions, including blocking access to age-restricted videos, adjusting video recommendations, and only serving non-personalized ads.

    Google states that users have the option to verify their age if the AI’s age estimate is incorrect. Verification methods include producing a government ID or selfie or using a credit card. Currently, users in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada are impacted, but it is expected that Google will expand the system’s coverage to other countries.

    The Privacy Debate

    Most people, particularly those under 18, know how simple it is to create an online account and falsify their age. While children may disagree, there’s a valid reason to limit their access to various online content, including some potentially distressing videos on YouTube. For this reason, the concept of utilizing an AI system to estimate if an account is being used by a child can be seen as a positive move.

    However, online age verification is a controversial topic from a privacy perspective. Anonymity was a fundamental aspect of the early web, but it’s now increasingly challenging to keep one’s real identity separate from their online persona. This is just one of several reasons why individuals may have reservations about sharing their ID with Google or other major tech companies.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the purpose of Google’s new AI tool for YouTube?
    Google’s AI tool was designed to identify whether YouTube users are under the age of 18 and impose appropriate restrictions to protect minors from harmful or inappropriate content.

    How does Google’s AI tool verify a user’s age?
    The tool uses various signals such as user activity and account longevity to determine an estimated age. If the AI’s guess is incorrect, users can verify their age using a government ID, a selfie, or a credit card.

    Does the introduction of this AI tool pose a privacy concern for users?
    Online age verification is a contentious issue from a privacy perspective. It’s becoming increasingly challenging to maintain online anonymity, meaning the requirement to share identification with tech giants like Google is a cause for concern for some users.

  • Google will enable two-step verification by default on 150 million accounts before year’s end

    Google will enable two-step verification by default on 150 million accounts before year’s end

    We are now in Cybersecurity Awareness Month as Google points out in a new blog post, and as the search giant says, “For most of us, passwords are the first line of defense for our digital lives. However, managing a set of strong passwords isn’t always convenient, which leads many people to look for shortcuts (i.e. dog’s name + birthday) or to neglect password best practices altogether, which opens them up to online risks. At Google, we protect our users with products that are secure by default – it’s how we keep more people safe online than anyone else in the world.”
    One of the best things that a smartphone user can use to protect his privacy is two-factor authentication (2FA), or as Google calls it, two-step verification (2SV). This adds another layer of security when logging in to an app. With 2FA/2SV, when entering the password to open an app you will receive a text message on your personal device with a unique one-time code that you type in to verify your identity and open the app.

    As Google points out in the blog, adding that additional layer of authentication sharply reduces the chances that a hacker can break into an account. Google says that two-step verification is “one of the most reliable ways to prevent unauthorized access to accounts and networks.” It combines something you know, such as a password, with something you have such as your phone or a security key.

    Google has made signing in using 2SV as seamless as possible by offering a prompt that requires a single tap to prove that you are who you say you are. Google states that the best way to keep its users safe is to turn on its security protections by default. As a result, it has started to automatically make its users’ accounts more secure and before the end of this year, it will auto-enroll an additional 150 million Google users in 2SV while requiring 2 million YouTube creators to enable 2SV.

    The Alphabet subsidiary admits that 2SV is not for everyone and it is working on developing technology that reduces the reliance on passwords in the long term. At the same time, the company is always seeking to improve the experience of having your identity authenticated. At this moment, Google is auto-enrolling accounts that have the “proper backup mechanisms in place to make a seamless transition to 2SV.”

    Back in 2018, Google said that only 10% of its accounts were using 2FA or 2SV. By the end of this year, that percentage will be much higher. And Google is also partnering with certain organizations to hand out over 10,000 security keys to high-risk users. Google has baked the capabilities of security keys directly into Android and offers iPhone users its Google Smart Lock app.

    Google says that every day it checks the security of 1 billion passwords to make sure that accounts are not getting hacked. This is done using the built-in password manager on Chrome, Android, and the Google app. The password manager is also available on iOS. With iOS, Chrome can autofill saved passwords when logging in to other apps thus allowing iOS users to use just one single tap to log in on a site (instead of having to remember and type in a password).

    Soon, iOS users will be able to use Chrome’s password generator on any iOS app in the same manner that Android users employ Autofill with Google. Also being rolled out is a feature that will allow users to access all of the passwords saved in the password manager from the menu of the Google app.

    If you want to turn on 2SV or 2FA on your Android device and turn on the built-in security key, you must have a phone running Android 7 or higher. From the browser of your Android phone go to myaccount.google.com/security. Under the heading of Signing into Google select two-step verification. Scroll to Set up an alternative second step and tap Add security key. Select your Android phone and then Add. A confirmation that your phone was added as a security key will be sent.

    To turn on two-factor authentication on iOS, follow these steps:

    Open Settings on your iPhone.
    Tap the Apple ID banner at the top of the display.
    Tap Password & Security.
    Tap Turn On Two-Factor Authentication.
    Tap Continue.
    Tap Continue.
    Enter your iPhone’s passcode.
    Tap Done.

  • Twitter relaunches verified program with a blue badge

    Twitter relaunches verified program with a blue badge

    For the first time since 2017, Twitter is letting anyone on its platform apply for verification. The feature is relaunching alongside strict new criteria, so not everyone is eligible. Here’s everything you need to know.

    To request verification on Twitter and receive the coveted blue badge next to your name, do the following:

    • Open Twitter
    • Head to Settings
    • Tap Request Verification
    • Fill in the details

    If you don’t see the option yet, don’t worry. It’ll be gradually rolling out to all users over the coming weeks.

    All Twitter users will be able to ask for verification once every 30 days, much like Instagram. The requests will be handled by humans rather than algorithms, and users should expect a response within 1-4 weeks.There are currently six account categories that qualify for verification:

    • Government
    • Companies, brands, and organizations
    • News organizations and journalists
    • Entertainment
    • Sports and gaming
    • Activists, organizers, and other influential individuals

    For the individual account category criteria, click here. Twitter has plans to add more categories in the future. In the coming months, scientists and academics will be eligible. Religious leaders will be added by the end of 2021.

    In addition to the above criteria, Twitters users must be able to verify their identity. A complete account is required too, meaning you must have a profile name and profile photo.

    You must also have logged into your account in the last six months, have a confirmed email address or phone number, and not have had an account lockout in the past 12 months (successful appeals are excluded).

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  • South Korean bank launches hand palm recognition verification

    South Korean bank launches hand palm recognition verification

    A South Korean bank has launched a service allowing customers to use palm recognition to withdraw cash – a likely precursor to similar technology becoming available in retail stores.

    KB Kookmin Bank says by using palm prints, customers no longer have to use a bankbook, stamp or password.

    The bank explained that palm vein recognition is safer and more precise than other biometric identification methods such as fingerprint or iris recognition. It believes the service will appeal to older customers who often have difficulty recalling passwords.

    According to a report, using palm recognition is also quicker than current means. Palm vein patterns differ by individual, allowing the scanner to correctly identify the customer.

    Similar palm-vein scanners are already being used at automated teller machines (ATM) from major banks worldwide, including Barclays in the UK and Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank in Japan.

    To prevent biometric information from leaking, the bank will encrypt the vein pattern database and work with the Korea Financial Telecommunications and Clearings Institute to store the information. The data will be disassembled into multiple blocks when stored, and reassembled when used for transactions.

    KB Kookmin Bank expects that the new palm-recognition service will particularly benefit senior customers who often have a hard time remembering passwords.

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