Isn't this too much? Google is testing reCAPTCHA verification that wants to see you via webcam

Verifying that you are not a robot may soon look completely different. Instead of searching for traffic lights and crosswalks in images, Google may ask you to perform a simple hand gesture in front of the camera as part of reCAPTCHA. This is currently a tested feature that the company described in its documentation – and which immediately sparked a debate about privacy.

How gesture verification in reCAPTCHA works

Princip je přímočarý. Když web tuhle výzvu zobrazí, prohlížeč si vyžádá přístup ke kameře a nahraje krátké video, na němž rukou předvedete vyžádaný pohyb. Z něj se podle Googlu získají takzvaná hand landmark data, tedy 21 souřadnic kloubů ruky (anglicky hand-knuckle coordinates) – body, podle kterých systém rozpozná tvar a pohyb dlaně. Klikání na semafory nebo přechody pro chodce tak může nahradit obyčejné mávnutí do webkamery.

What Google promises regarding privacy

The camera is the most sensitive point of this entire novelty. Google states in its documentation that it does not link gesture videos to user identity, does not record audio with them, and deletes them after verification is complete. According to the company, it does not share data with third parties or use it for any other purpose. People who cannot perform the gesture due to a health limitation still have access to classic visual and audio challenges.

Why Google is turning to the camera

Behind this novelty is a simple fact – classic captchas are no longer sufficient. Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly better at solving image puzzles, so websites need something harder to imitate – such as the movement of a live hand. However, it’s not foolproof. Security experts point out that the gesture could theoretically be bypassed with a virtual camera or an AI-generated hand animation. Some users also dislike having to turn on their camera for routine website access – the new verification and concerns surrounding it were highlighted, among others, by the MEGA service account on X.

How widely gesture verification will spread is not yet clear. Google describes it as one of the possible challenges, not as a replacement for all existing verification methods.

Would you wave your hand at a webcam just to access a website?

Sources: Google, Cybernews, Help Net Security, 80.lv