X may soon add ID verification for 'preventing impersonation'<p>X appears to be working on new ID verification features several months after rampant impersonation temporarily <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="
https://www.engadget.com/twitter-blue-verification-impersonation-disaster-203656712.html">
derailed[/url] the company’s paid verification plans. The platform is now working on an additional verification feature that requires users to upload a copy of their government-issued ID and snap a selfie, according to a screenshot <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="
https://twitter.com/nima_owji/status/1691850092385370483">
shared[/url] by app researcher Nima Owji.</p><p>Owji, who often uncovers unreleased features in X, first spotted an “ID verified” badge on Musk’s profile earlier this month. Now, he’s discovered an in-app message detailing how it works, suggesting that it may be getting closer to an official launch. “Verify your account by providing government-issued ID,” it says. “This usually takes about 5 minutes.” It explains that users will need to provide a photo of their ID and a selfie.</p><span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><div id="02db3b646e304e8aa7901be3cf483ead"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">
#X keeps working on the ID verification. You should upload a photo of your ID and take a live selfie.
https://t.co/3bdGgzlnZhpic.twitter.com/F4ssglakHR</p>— Nima Owji (@nima_owji)
August 16, 2023</div><p>It seems X is partnering with a third-party “identity intelligence” company Au10tix on the feature. The fine print notes that information shared for verification will be seen by Au10tix as well as X. X will keep “ID images, including biometric data, for up to 30 days” and will use the information “for the purposes of safety and security, including preventing impersonation.”</p><p>An Au10tix representative didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The company’s website <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="
https://www.au10tix.com/company/about/">
advertises[/url] “8-second verification without even partial human involvement” and “first-of-a-kind tech detecting synthetic fraud patterns globally.” The company says it’s previously worked with companies like Google, PayPal and Uber.</p><p>X didn’t respond to a request for comment. But the feature suggests the company is looking for new ways to combat impersonation on the platform. Right now, X offers verified status to anyone paying for an X Premium (formerly known as Twitter Blue) subscription.</p><p>The company doesn’t conduct its own identity checks, though it has implemented some safeguards, like its <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="
https://www.engadget.com/twitter-early-access-waitlist-organization-verification-093816293.html">
verified organizations[/url] feature. Still, some impersonators have still managed to <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="
https://mashable.com/article/disney-junior-fake-account-twitter-verified">
slip through[/url]. Verification has also been exploited by <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="
https://protos.com/twitter-verification-is-making-scammers-millions-heres-how/">
numerous scammers[/url], particularly crypto scammers, who use the <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="
https://www.engadget.com/twitters-video-and-ranking-perks-arrive-to-paying-blue-subscribers-125538009.html">
additional visibility[/url] that comes with an X premium subscription to elevate their posts. It’s unclear if adding optional identity checks would fully solve these issues, but it could make some scammers and impersonators a bit easier to identify.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/x-may-soon-add-id-verification-for-preventing-impersonation-190422905.html?src=rssSource:
X may soon add ID verification for 'preventing impersonation'
