You Can Now Verify Your Facebook Account With a Video Selfie.
If you use Facebook, you may soon see a new type of verification badge on user profiles, indicating that there’s a real person behind them. The platform is adding a free verification feature that allows users to upload a video selfie and receive a white checkmark that will appear on their profile, as well as in the Marketplace, Dating, and Groups sections. (At launch, the badges won’t appear on posts in the feed, but Facebook says this feature will be added in the future.)
Please note that this is different from Meta Verified, a paid subscription that adds a blue checkmark to Facebook and Instagram accounts. This verification means Meta has verified the user’s identity based on verification of their government-issued ID and, in some cases, video footage.
How does Facebook verification work?
Facebook account verification is available to users over 18 whose accounts meet the platform’s community standards. However, the feature is initially rolling out in select countries before rolling out globally. Once enabled, you’ll need to record a short video selfie, which Facebook will compare to your existing profile photos using facial recognition. If your verification is approved, a white checkmark will be added to your profile. Verification is not available for ProMode pages and accounts.
First and foremost, take care of your privacy.
Facebook states that it will store your selfie video for “up to 30 days” after verification, which is a one-time process. It’s not entirely clear what happens to the video during this time, and it’s worth noting that Meta uses user data to train its AI . Meta’s AI (and Meta’s in general) is a terrible privacy and security thief , so you should consider whether sacrificing verification for the sake of sharing more of your data is worth it and read the privacy policy before agreeing.
This week, Google also launched a selfie-based video verification feature , though its purpose is to confirm your identity in the event of an account suspension. Unlike Facebook Verified, which is intended to serve as a trust signal to other users, Google’s selfie verification provides access to your entire Google account, which entails additional security measures.