From: CNet.com > News > Webware —

Google has ported over the name verification process from its Knowl Web site to the main Google system. The process lets you go through a verification process which ultimately gives your Google Profile an extra layer of authenticity.

Google Profiles are Web pages where users can publicly disclose as much personal information about themselves as they wish and access settings for their various Google subscriptions and activities, including GMail, Google Maps and other Google applications. Google recently made its Profiles searchable by Web search engines.

As CNet’s Stephen Shankland reports, “Upon user request, Google verifies names by checking them against phone or credit card records. It’s an experimental feature [currently] available [only] in the United States, and there are limitations.”

Name verification is is still in a relatively early stage of development. Verification is not required to access or use any Google feature or application. But that could change when the process is perfected.