topic Why is Google Nest authenticating access to this Google Nest forum through YouTube? in Apps / Account

Why is Google Nest authenticating access to this Google Nest forum through YouTube?

MplsCustomer — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 23:11:05 GMT

Today, when I tried to log onto this Google Nest community forum on my iPad, it required that I authenticate by logging onto the YouTube application and respond there to the authentication message.

Why in the world is Google Nest requiring use of the YouTube application for ANY authentication at all???

Re: Why is Google Nest authenticating access to this Google Nest forum through YouTube?

David_K — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:34:05 GMT

This isn't something special related to this community, it's because you login to this community with a Google account. It was a bit strange to me as well when I first encountered it.

When you login with your Google account, Google has been using something they call Google prompts on eligible Android, iPhone, and iPad devices. It works on any eligible phone that is signed in with that Google account using a number of Google apps. The theory behind the feature is it's more secure than phone-number based verification codes, and doesn't require users to manually set up two step verification.

Sign in with Google prompts - Google Account Help

Re: Why is Google Nest authenticating access to this Google Nest forum through YouTube?

MplsCustomer — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 18:09:11 GMT

@David_K

Thank you. I didn't realize Google Nest was using this for authentication.

The method is a bit cumbersome if you don't happen to be logged into YouTube when you encounter the verification. I logged onto YouTube on all of my devices and had to request resending the verification a couple of times before I was actually able to receive and complete the verification. (I am almost never logged onto YouTube.)