Facebook’s selfie verification feature allows users to confirm their identity by taking a video selfie through the Facebook mobile app. This feature helps protect accounts from being accessed by anyone other than the rightful account owner.
Why does Facebook require selfie verification?
Facebook may ask for a selfie for the following reasons:
- When logging in from a new device or browser
- After being locked out of your account
- If activity on your account seems suspicious or is flagged for security reasons
- To confirm your identity when making requests related to your account, such as changing your name
Requiring a real-time selfie prevents identity theft and ensures that only you can access your account. It’s an added layer of security on top of your password.
When will Facebook require a video selfie?
Common situations when Facebook may prompt you for a video selfie include:
- Logging into your account from a new device, like a phone you recently got
- Using your account from a new location or unclear location
- Changing your name or date of birth on your profile
- Reactivating your account after being disabled or locked
Facebook’s AI system automatically flags suspicious logins or activity. If it doesn’t recognize your device or location, it will ask you to verify yourself.
How to do the Facebook video selfie verification
Doing Facebook’s selfie authentication is easy and straightforward when requested. Here are the steps:
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device. You can’t do video selfie verification on a desktop.
- Go to your account where Facebook is asking for a video selfie. You may see a screen saying “Please verify it’s you.”
- Tap on “Get Started” and allow Facebook access to your camera when prompted.
- Center your face in the circle on the camera screen and follow the instructions. You need to turn your head in different directions.
- Once successful, Facebook will confirm it’s really you. The video selfie is a one-time prompt.
The selfie video process takes less than a minute. Facebook’s technology will compare your selfie to photos of you already on Facebook to confirm if it’s really you.
Tips for taking the perfect verification video selfie
To ensure your video selfie is successful on the first try, follow these tips:
- Have adequate lighting so your face is clearly visible
- Remove any hats, sunglasses, or other obstructions from your face
- Tie your hair back if it’s covering your face
- Keep your entire face within the circle outline while turning your head
- Have a neutral facial expression – no smiling or mouth open
Having lighting on your front rather than behind you reduces shadows. You want clear visibility of your face from different angles.
Can you retry the video selfie if it fails?
If Facebook is unable to verify your identity from the first video selfie, you will have additional chances to retry.
Some reasons the selfie verification may fail include:
- Too much motion blur
- Bad lighting
- Something obstructing part of your face
- Not completing the full head turns in each direction
You will typically get 2-3 chances to take another video selfie before being locked out. Make sure to follow the tips above to get the clearest and most useful selfie for verification.
What happens if you can’t complete the video selfie?
If you are unable to successfully complete the selfie verification after several tries, Facebook will not allow you to access the account.
You will be logged out and see an error about being unable to confirm it’s you. At this point, your account may be temporarily locked until you can successfully verify yourself.
Some reasons you may be completely unable to do the video selfie include:
- Attempting verification on a desktop instead of mobile device
- Having no working camera on your mobile device
- Lacking required permissions for Facebook to access your camera
Without being able to take a real-time selfie, Facebook cannot confirm your identity and will keep your account locked.
What to do if you’re locked out after failing selfie verification
If your account gets locked after failing to complete video selfie verification, here are some steps to try:
- Confirm you have given Facebook app the needed camera permissions.
- Try verifying on a different mobile device that has a working camera.
- Use the Facebook help center to submit an appeal regarding your locked account.
- Have someone who is a confirmed friend on Facebook vouch for your identity.
- Submit a copy of your government ID through the Facebook help center.
As a last resort, you may need to create a new Facebook account and start fresh if you cannot regain access to your locked account. Be sure to use a new email address and password.
How to turn off Facebook selfie verification
There is no setting to completely disable Facebook’s selfie verification. It’s a security measure required in certain situations to protect accounts.
However, you can take steps to avoid getting asked for a video selfie frequently:
- Don’t log in from new devices or locations often
- Use the Facebook app on your primary mobile device
- Don’t change your name, date of birth, or other profile info frequently
- Add trusted contacts to help verify your identity if locked out
By using your account normally from recognized locations, Facebook will have less reason to prompt the extra verification. But there’s no way to disable it entirely.
Can you do selfie verification on Facebook without a camera?
No, completing Facebook’s selfie verification requires a working camera on your mobile device. There are no other options to verify yourself without a live video selfie.
Some alternatives if you don’t have a camera:
- Borrow a friend’s mobile device to take the video selfie.
- Use a mobile device camera cover that still allows video recording.
- Get your camera repaired so it works properly.
- Buy a cheap used mobile device with a functioning camera.
Without a live camera feed, Facebook has no way to match your face to your account profile. Their automated systems need that video selfie.
Is Facebook selfie verification secure?
Yes, Facebook’s video selfie verification process is secure and protects your privacy in the following ways:
- The video selfies are encrypted and immediately deleted after verification.
- They are not visible on your profile or to other users.
- Only Facebook’s AI systems process the selfie data to confirm it’s you.
- Human Facebook employees do not view the selfies.
- Facebook cannot use the selfie data for other facial recognition purposes.
The selfie verification videos are specifically for identity confirmation and nothing more. Overall, it’s a highly secure method to keep your account safe from hackers.
Does video selfie use facial recognition?
Yes, the artificial intelligence behind Facebook’s video selfie verification utilizes sophisticated facial recognition technology. Here’s how it works:
- Your selfie video is processed locally on your device – it’s not sent anywhere initially.
- Distinct facial reference points are extracted as data points.
- Those data points are encrypted and sent to Facebook servers.
- The encrypted data is compared to other facial reference data from your account.
- If a match is found, your identity is confirmed.
Facebook only keeps the facial reference data long enough to match your video selfie. It’s not stored anywhere permanenly.
The facial recognition tech allows them to confirm if you are the true account owner without human involvement.
Can you do Facebook selfie verification on a desktop?
No, Facebook’s selfie verification can only be done on the mobile app using your device camera. It does not work on the desktop website.
That’s because it needs to capture a live video stream of your face, which desktop webcams cannot facilitate. Even if you have a webcam, it doesn’t have the proper setup and permissions for accessing it that the mobile app does.
So you must install the Facebook app on your iPhone, Android, or other mobile device to complete the security selfie confirmation. It takes just a few minutes to protect your account.
Is Facebook facial recognition mandatory?
The facial recognition used for Facebook’s video selfie verification is mandatory anytime it’s required to confirm your identity. You cannot opt out specifically from that security feature.
However, under your Facebook settings, you can choose whether facial recognition is enabled for general purposes like photo tagging. Selfie verification is considered an account security requirement by Facebook though.
If you refuse the selfie verification when prompted, Facebook will not allow you to access your account. So you must comply with that facial scan to log in during high-risk scenarios.
Can a hacker bypass the video selfie?
It is highly unlikely a hacker could bypass or falsify the Facebook video selfie verification. This makes it one of the most secure forms of identity confirmation.
Reasons hackers would struggle to get past the selfie check include:
- Requires live camera input that cannot be spoofed.
- Facial reference data is encrypted end-to-end.
- Sophisticated AI analyzes the selfie in real-time.
- Multiple angles of the face are captured.
- Difficult to create an accurate 3D fake/mask of someone.
While no security measure is impossible to bypass, Facebook’s selfie verification offers excellent protection even from skilled hackers.
Can you do selfie verification on other platforms?
Many major social media and tech platforms now offer selfie verification as an account security measure, including:
- Signal
- Snapchat
- TikTok
- Amazon
- Airbnb
- Uber
Like with Facebook, these services use your selfies to confirm identity and prevent account misuse. The general process is quite similar across different apps.
Pros and cons of video selfie verification
Some pros and cons of Facebook’s selfie verification include:
Pros
- Blocks hackers and impersonators from your account
- More convenient than uploading physical ID documents
- Works quickly with real-time results
- Easy process using nearly any modern smartphone
Cons
- Requires handing biometric data to Facebook
- Fails if your camera is broken or lacks permissions
- Occasional false rejections of valid users
- Cannot re-authenticate without phone access
Overall the security benefits outweigh the negatives for most Facebook users. But it can cause headaches in some situations when the system misidentifies you.
Conclusion
Facebook’s video selfie verification feature provides enhanced security by confirming your real identity with facial recognition. When required, you simply take a quick video selfie within the Facebook app to prove you’re the legitimate account holder.
Make sure to grant the needed camera permissions, have proper lighting, and follow the on-screen cues. While not flawless, the selfie check greatly increases protection against hacking, theft, and impersonation. It’s a minor inconvenience that helps safeguard your account.