150 million Google accounts will be safer by the end of the year thanks to automatic enrollment for 2-step verification



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Two-step verification, or 2SV for short, is a method of securing your Google Account by requiring you to access a second step or device in order to successfully sign in. That’s why many of you reading this probably already have to type in a code that comes to you via text or you need to press to confirm on your phone that you are signing in to another device. For those who are not familiar, the idea is that a secondary method ensures that you have physical access to your phone so that there is no doubt that you are trying to connect.

By the end of 2021, Google plans to automatically enroll 150 million Google accounts in 2SV to put you in a more defensive position against hackers and social engineers. Chrome already suggests strong passwords for you, and even has a built-in password security checker that will show you which of your passwords have been compromised. Not only that, but if you use the same password for multiple websites, Google will hit you on the hand and ask you to diversify them.

We know that many, many people take safety less seriously – not out of spite or intentionally, but simply because we were brought up with bad habits (especially those of us who grew up in the 90s). Add to that the fact that passwords are a pain in the back, and you have a recipe for millions of weak accounts that the business now has to contend with. On your behalf, it tries to intervene in order to make the Internet safer.

In addition to these 150 million accounts, Google will also ask 2 million Youtube creators to activate 2-step verification in order to protect their videos on the platform. Why these numbers, precisely? This is because these people have the proper safeguards in place at the moment and the transition to 2SV is seamless. Going forward, Google will face the challenge of encouraging users without backups in place to do so. Only then will they be able to make them evolve as well.

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If you want to secure your account now, you need to perform a security check. In fact, you should do it often! To learn more about Google’s efforts to protect more than 10,000 high-risk users this year by providing them with free security keys and the other login enhancements they’re working on, visit the Security Center. Now is the time to hear from you! Do you already use 2SV, or do you think this is a disadvantage?

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