Meta-owned social media network Instagram appears to be rolling out a new user authentication system that should cut down on the number of spambots plaguing the ecosystem.

UK-based social media consultant Matt Navarra picked up on a new account registration step that requires the user to take a video of themselves turning their head around. The app makes the case that the security measure will help confirm that they are a real person and that the video clip they send won't be visible on the platform and deleted from Instagram's servers within 30 days.

In addition to deleting the clips, Instagram won't be using Meta's facial recognition technology to verify identities. If the goal is to prevent bot farms from generating new accounts en masse, this may be enough unless the AI doesn't do a good job of detecting computer-generated facial animations. On the other hand, people will still be able to create multiple accounts — if you don't have a finsta, you're not thriving — if identity is a non-factor.

XDA-Developers points out that dating apps like Bumble and Tinder require registrants to take pictures of their face from multiple angles. Video selfies might give AI more data to work with and act as a better overall checkpoint. There are also hints that video selfie authentication was being developed as far back as a year ago when some users reported seeing broken versions of the interface, so the code better be good.

We tried creating a new account and have not come across the video selfie step, so it seems the rollout has some ways to go.