Google is testing a reCAPTCHA that requires hand gestures

Google is testing a new version of reCAPTCHA that asks users to perform simple hand gestures in front of a webcam, a move that has already sparked privacy concerns among some users, according to Cybernews.

The system is designed to help websites distinguish real people from increasingly sophisticated AI-powered bots. To complete verification, users are asked to enable their camera and perform a short hand movement.

According to Google, the system analyzes a brief video clip and tracks 21 hand-knuckle coordinates. The company says no audio is recorded and the video is deleted immediately after verification is completed.

Google also maintains that the captured data cannot be linked to a specific individual. The company argues that the approach provides stronger protection against automated account creation, spam, and fraud.

Privacy advocates, however, have questioned whether requiring camera access for routine verification goes too far. Critics argue that the feature could normalize the collection of biometric data online and make users increasingly uncomfortable with everyday interactions on the web.

Some skeptics have also pointed out that advanced AI systems may eventually learn how to bypass gesture-based verification just as they have overcome previous generations of CAPTCHA systems.