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Google’s new CAPTCHA asks users to wave hand at camera, users fear privacy trade-off

MrGuvernment

MrGuvernment

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Not that I use many google services, youtube is about it these days, but hard nope from me!

https://cybernews.com/privacy/google-captcha-hand-gesture-camera-privacy-fears/


Google has introduced a new hand-gesture verification system for reCAPTCHA that asks some users to grant camera access and perform simple hand movements to prove they are human.

Key takeaways:
  • Google is testing a new reCAPTCHA check that asks some users to allow camera access and make simple hand gestures, aiming to better spot human users and block advanced AI bots.
  • The tech giant says the system only analyzes hand-movement points from a short video, does not record audio, and deletes the footage after verification.
  • The feature is already raising privacy and effectiveness concerns, with some users uncomfortable about camera-based verification and some claiming it may still be bypassed
The new feature is part of Google’s effort to combat increasingly sophisticated AI-powered bots, which are becoming more capable of bypassing traditional CAPTCHA tests that require users to identify a number of objects in images – from ladders and road crossings to fire trucks and bicycles – or to solve barely legible puzzles.

According to Google, the new system analyzes a short video of a user’s hand and extracts 21 hand-landmark coordinates (measurements of hand-joint positions used to recognize specific gestures).

In a blog on its Google Cloud’s defense page, the tech giant claims that videos are not linked to the user’s identity, audio is never recorded, and footage is deleted once verification is complete.

Google says that the feature provides stronger “liveness detection”, helping websites defend against automated account creation, credential-stuffing attacks and other forms of online fraud.
“I’m not a robot” tests shouldn’t require cameras

The move has prompted criticism from some privacy-focused users, who argue that requiring camera access for routine verification checks represents a further expansion of biometric-style monitoring online.

Biometric verification, where physical characteristics are increasingly used to authenticate identity and distinguish humans from machines, is set to expand exponentially as major territories introduce age verification tools to help implement age-gated social media for under 16s.

On X, user Lain on the Blockchain (@CryptoCyberia) said the system was “way worse” than traditional CAPTCHAs because it relied on a camera, adding that they would rather complete image-based challenges than use what they described as a “spooky” new verification method.

Others questioned whether the technology will remain effective. X user Peter Austin (@PeterAusti61402) claimed he had bypassed the challenge using a virtual camera and AI-generated animations.
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It’s not Google’s first foray into the technology. In 2023, Google Meet added a feature that allows users to raise a physical hand in front of a webcam to trigger a virtual hand raise during meetings.

The CAPTCHA rollout also comes as Google continues to explore gesture-recognition technologies.

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A recently published patent application reported on X, but not verified by Cybernews, describes using acoustic signals in wearable devices to detect hand and muscle movements, potentially enabling hands-free device control without cameras or voice commands.
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If true, simply means that Google doesn't get it.... well, actually, it's proof they are complete idiots. I mean, here is a company that's sole revenue has come from exploiting stolen data from others, and now they are trying to "save us" from that? Google basically saying, "sure, we can do this, but not anyone else." I'm not saying I'm completely divorced from Google's shenanigans, but even if you reduce Google use by 90%, I will promise you that you'll be a whole lot happier. We need another viable phone provider system apart from Android (Google) and Apple. That would really help. So, IMHO, stop using Chrome and friends (Edge, and pretty much all browsers, except Firefox based ones), stop using Google as your search engine, and of course stop using their Gemini and other AI products, just stop. They only way Google will respond with sanity is if their behavior impacts their bottom line. As long as they see themselves as "the unstoppable", expect more of this.

And I do get that Amazon, Microsoft, etc. are all in the "data exploitation" game.... So, you're welcome to clobber those as well. I just say start with the biggest problem first.

I do use youtube, but I block all their ads (which makes youtube interesting, even if still part of the evil empire).
 
There are Linux and Sailfish OS phones, and I'll likely get one next time I replace my phone. As far as google, I only use youtube and gmail, I've been using the latter less, and don't use their apps.

Google can kiss my ass.
 
I agree this is an overstep. On paper, it is a curveball for bots so might have some short term gains for Google; but in Google's "hands" (really, anyone's hands) the image data is going to be used to train Google's own bots and then sold to other companies at a profit.

I would temper the reaction by pointing out that there are still plenty of user clients out there which do not have a camera connected to their machine (or where the camera is connected to a lid that is closed), and so a non-camera based captcha, is probably going to be an option for the foreseeable future even if they roll this out.
 
philb2 said:
The hand gesture should be a raised middle finger. Either that or pull your pants down and moon the camera.
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Or, and I forgot to add, what about people with older systems with no camera? Maybe Microsoft is in on this deal so they can sell more Surface laptops.
 
philb2 said:
Or, and I forgot to add, what about people with older systems with no camera? Maybe Microsoft is in on this deal so they can sell more Surface laptops.
Click to expand...
No no no.
There is a no camera option. If you click it.
It simply requires you to scan a copy of your birth certificate.

Don't have a scanner? That's ok the third option is fine.
You can call their call center in Calcutta, and give a Google employee your birth date and mothers maiden name.
 
ChadD said:
No no no.
There is a no camera option. If you click it.
It simply requires you to scan a copy of your birth certificate.

Don't have a scanner? That's ok the third option is fine.
You can call their call center in Calcutta, and give a Google employee your birth date and mothers maiden name.
Click to expand...
And your SSN and credit card numbers as additional proof of your identity.
 
grant camera access and perform simple hand movements to prove they are human.
Click to expand...

I got a hand gesture for you, Sundar.

I have never once wavered from my conviction that allowing Google to buy Doubleclick was a bad idea. Gotta say, I never expected THAT to bring about Skynet, though.
 
w1retap said:
The camera they know is in/attached to your device because they harvested the data for all that prior.
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It occurs to me that letting your camera see the screen of another phone running AR software that remaps your hand to random other sizes and skin colors every time it's used would be hilarious.
 
Yeah, if that becomes a hard requirement I'll just never sign in to my Google account again.

I mean, none of my computers even have a camera. 😅

...and even if I did not have privacy concerns about this there is no way in hell I'd buy a USB camera just for Google. 😅
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
... and even if I did not have privacy concerns about this there is no way in hell I'd buy a USB camera just for Google. 😅
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Problem is tons of websites use captcha, not just google. It still is one of the more common anti-bot measures around.
 
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The joke's on them. I don't have a camera and hardly ever use my phone (only thing with a camera) for any type of web browsing.
 
I'm not going to use a website that asks for webcam footage. I wonder if you can use this old gif?
down-pointing.gif
 
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