Name Verification FAQ

How are names verified in Knol?

Name Verification is still an experimental feature. It has about a 50% success rate in the United States and is not generally available outside the U.S. If you are unable to verify your name after reading this FAQ, we may be unable to verify your name at this time. We are working to make this feature more broadly usable.

Note that you can still participate fully in the Knol community without having a verified name. The "Verified" badge is not a requirement.

Name Verification Process

We believe that letting authors verify their name helps increase their credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of their readers. You are not required to verify your name to use Knol, but if you choose to do so, you will be asked to provide some personal information, which we will use in an effort to authenticate your name. Today, this experimental (beta) service is only available for US accounts. We currently are also limited to verify names where we have available data so if one verification method doesn’t work please try the other. Over time we will add additional verification methods. 

For verification by credit card number, we will securely pass your verification information to a third-party credit bureau, which will confirm that your information matches a record in their database. Your credit card will not be charged, this process will not result in an “inquiry” to your credit profile, and no one will look at any credit rating information or specific financial information in connection with this verification. Google will not see or have access to your credit profile or other credit bureau information. Instead, the credit bureau will simply provide us with a status indicator to let us know whether or not the information matched their records.

For verification by US social-security number, we will securely pass your verification information to a third-party credit bureau, which will confirm that your information matches a record in their database. This process will not result in an “inquiry” to your credit profile, and no one will look at any credit rating information or specific financial information in connection with this verification. Google will not see or have access to your social security number or other credit bureau information. Instead, the credit bureau will simply provide us with a status indicator to let us know whether or not the information you provide matched their records.

Please Note: Your verified name will be identical to the name we verified through your credit card number, so if you don’t want that exact appearance of your name to appear on Knol, you shouldn’t use Name Verification.

We will not share your information with anyone other than the third party database providers that process these verifications for us, and your verification information will be treated and stored securely throughout this process. After the verification process is complete, Google will not display or share any of the information you provide except your name, which will be displayed on Knol as your verified author name. If you’d like to learn more about how Google handles your personal information, please read our Privacy Policy.

 

Some Limitations

  • Debit cards cannot be used for name verification.
  • American Express cards cannot be used for name verification.
  • If you have placed a "freeze" on your credit record, you will not be able to use any credit card for name verification.
  • Verification is only available within the U.S.


I can't see the "Name Verification" tab in my Preferences

Because we are only able to verify name information for addresses, social-security numbers within the United States, we don't display the option to any author visiting the site from outside the U.S.  Even though we want to prevent visitors from outside the US from being frustrated by the display of a feature that most can't use, anyone can still verify their US based info through these direct links for Social Security Number based Verification and Credit Card based Verification.
 

I've tried, and it does not work!

We currently only support the experimental name verification feature for the USA and only from a limited set of data providers. If one method doesn’t work please try the other. We are working to add additional data sources as well as verification methods. Please note that your verified status may not be reflected immediately on your knol, as this can take up to an hour. Keep in mind that the best way to show that you are an expert on a topic is to write a great article about it! Please remember that name verification does not constitute 100% identity authentication, so use your best judgment and take precautions with sensitive information.

I don't want my name to be "verified" anymore

Any time you change your name in your profile by following the "Edit my Profile" link, the "verified" badge will disappear from all your knols. This is an easy way to remove it if you don't want it anymore.

FAQs about Name Verification

Q: So, why do we verify our names. Does it improve our position in ranking?

At the moment, the feature exists solely as one means for you to communicate to your readers that you are who you say you are. At this present time, it does not have a significant effect on ranking.
 

Q: So, where are you going with this feature? You haven't changed it in a while.

A: We now downplay the feature in the user-interface, so that the bright orange "Verify Name" does not nag persons who cannot verify.

We are working to
  1. Provide better coverage in US English and Korean. We do not have a fixed timeframe for offering verification in other countries.
  2. Provide better explanations if the verification attempt does not succeed.
We do not have specific details or timetables for these intended changes.
 

Q: Can I use a middle name or initial?

Yes. You can either put your middle name or initial in the "First Name" field after your first name, or in the  "Last Name" field before your last name. However, we can only successfully verify your name if what you enter is an exact match to your name as it appears in the third-party database (the credit card company's records.)

Q: I tried to verify my name, but I didn't receive a response message.

If you are having difficulties receiving email messages related to Knol, make sure that they are not getting routed to your email client's Spam folder. Add "noreply@google.com" to your whitelist.

Individual email clients may differ in how this is done, but for Gmail you would:
  1. Go to Settings > Filters > Create a new Filter
  2. Enter noreply@google.com into the From: field
  3. Next Step
  4. Then check Never send it to Spam.
  5. Create Filter

Comments


Stephane Tsacas

Google, you know me!

It seems to be easier to get into Google Adsense program than to get your identity verified on Google Knol.

It also seems much easier to be banned from Google Adsense for ever, which means that even years later, Google still can identify you.

In either case: no verification is possible here. It's hard to believe that the reason is in the word "beta".

Plus, I'm in France, I forgot to say ;-)

Last edited Nov 6, 2009 5:19 PM
Report abusive comment

Sue George

Untitled

Hi, Just signed onto the site,but couldn't verify me name. never Mind I know who I am.

Last edited Nov 5, 2009 9:54 AM
Report abusive comment

Tui's Place

Worldwide Name Verification Needed

I concur with many of the frustrated knolers [sic] here and wonder whether or not you have a timescale - to perhaps give some idea when this might be achieved please?

Last edited Oct 22, 2009 10:35 PM
Report abusive comment

Peter Kelly

No Workie

Is the verification system down? I tried both methods and received the following message:

We encountered the following problem: Error: please try later.

Last edited Oct 28, 2009 1:35 PM
Report abusive comment

Mr. Chandrak Pandya

Suggestion

Please Start this Service in INDIA with "Driving Licence Number" or "PAN" Number which can be verified with the Government. I'll be Happy to Help you in that.

Regards,

Last edited Oct 14, 2009 4:26 AM
Report abusive comment

Jason Simone

Name verification errors

I have tried multiple name verification methods at repeated times yesterday and today. I keep getting messages about database errors. It seems as though the feature is no longer functioning. Can anyone verify that?

Last edited Sep 8, 2009 5:41 PM
Report abusive comment

Zak

No SS numbers used, or at least seemed to be used.

I'm a bit surprised at the absence of SS numbers, at least people seem not to be complaining about it.
I'm 82 and my SS is published across the US about a much as "Gone With The Wind" - so it seems. People,or agencies with the power to deny you a fruit, or whatever, think nothing of demanding the SS number or one is out of luck. When the US Gov., in collecting taxes and about for every other reason demanded this "secret" number, and then though I had a perfectly good Army serial number, also the same can be said for the US Air Force, nothing was thought of throwing that away and giving my SS number as my new USAF serial number. So, also does the VA. Also so did UCLA. I told both of my daughters that if they wanted slightly more privacy, give the colleges their SSN in reverse. They did. No problem except for my youngest daughter when she got some communication from the government and her SS number was printed right out front for all to see. When her college saw it they had a snit.... WELL, she couldn't graduate, they said. She just calmly told them, "Try it!" They didn't. But, she is our family hero. She told the college, when I apply to you for a retirment benefit, I'll give you my SS number. So it is for that supposed to be secret/private SS number.

Jul 30, 2009 1:23 AM
Report abusive comment
1 - 10 of 122   Older comments »
©2009 Google