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Google's 'ID Validation' Is a Joke, But Not Funny

Posted by timothy on from the your-voice-is-your-password-so-yell dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I was curious about the whole profile reporting and ID validation process on Google+ so I decided to do a little experimental work to find out just what is involved. Answer: very little which could be called rigor." Tease: this story involves a form of I.D. only slightly less funny than the 409-eater with a passport in the name of James Tiberius Kirk.

4 of 211 comments (clear)

  1. Account verification by CharlyFoxtrot · · Score: 4, Informative

    Doing this kind of thing is a breeze in Belgium. Everyone has an ID card with chip containing a couple of certificates on it. A site can use these to validate you say who you say you are by checking through a government server. Ebay does account verification in this way. Quick, painless.

    --
    If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
  2. Summary of what he did by billstewart · · Score: 5, Informative
    • 0 - Gary Walker's a real person with a non-unique name on Google+. Here's what he did:
    • 1 - Made a Google+ account with his real name, some bogus information, and occasional cat pictures. - Worked
    • 2a - Had three friends report it as a "Fake Profile" - No Response
    • 2b - As the real Gary Walker, reported the new profile as "Impersonation".
    • 2b.1 - Google+ requires a copy of a government ID if you report an account as "Impersonation". He used a really bad fake driver's license. - Worked!
    • 2b.2 - Google+ informed him it was blocking the new profile, and also informed the new profile it was blocked. Took about 2 hours - Worked!
    • 2c - As the new Gary Walker, requested reinstatement, using an even worse fake driver's license - Worked!
    • 3 - Wrote up results - Attracted Blog traffic and comments - Worked!
    • 4 - ....
    • 5 - PROFIT!!

    Apparently you don't even need Real Photoshop to turn a McLovin' Hawai'i Driver's License into an adequate-quality fake ID for Google+ purposes. But SHHHHHH!! Don't Tell Them!

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  3. Hey. What say you warn people next time... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    before enticing them into clicking on a link that's actually a 50-page pdf with (potentially underage) pornography and a photo of an open leg wound in it by mentioning Captain Kirk?

  4. DON'T CLICK on that 419 eater link at work! by IonOtter · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you're at work, DO NOT CLICK on that link to 419eater!

    It is funny, yes, but it has several pornographic and at least one medically disturbing/disgusting image.

    Save it for viewing at home.

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