Microsoft account app requires camera access to take pictures and videos. why?

[Windows Central Question]

I find the two step verification really convenient but when I realized the app permissions required having access to the camera, I cancelled the installation.

I don't want to think they need access to the camera to take pictures of the user but I know it's been done in the past by other companies.

Can anyone clarify that?.

 

[xandros9]

You're talking about the Android app right?

Well, camera access is used in two-step authentication for scanning QR codes.
Often you're given a QR code to scan in order to set up two-step authentication. (Google, MS, and Facebook do it) It's a lot faster than typing in the long code manually, although it achieves the same thing.

It's not to take pictures of you, it for convenience. Kinda paranoid, but hey "only the paranoid survive" and not quite far fetched.

 

[Harrie-S]

Do you mean the authenticator app? Authenticator | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Please see the description:

The Authenticator app generates security codes you can use to help keep your Microsoft account secure. You can add your Microsoft account to the app by scanning a barcode or by manually entering a secret key.

So the camera is needed to scan barcodes and not to take pictures or video's from you.