Google's Advanced Protection Program now supports passkeys

Google is integrating passkey functionality into its Advanced Protection Program. APP is the company's top-tier security option. It is meant for people who may be vulnerable to hacking or other scams, such as elected officials or human rights workers, and previously required a physical security key to operate.

Google's announcement acknowledged that the physical component made the APP less accessible to those who needed it the most. People who enroll in the APP now have the option of using a passkey or a physical key.

Google was one of many digital businesses to start using passkeys for security, bringing out the option to Android and Chrome in 2022 and all Google accounts by 2023. Google reported that passkeys were used over 1 billion times by 400 million accounts earlier this year. Although significant, the adoption of this technology has been gradual.

In addition to providing passkey support, Google announced a partnership with media group Internews to provide cybersecurity help to its network of journalists and human rights campaigners. The agreement will encompass ten countries, including Brazil, Mexico, and Poland.