Last Week, Twitter announced that it will restrict the use of text messages as a two-factor authentication (2FA) method for securing accounts to only paid subscribers.
According to a tweet by the company, starting March 20, the use of text messages as a two-factor authentication method will be limited to Twitter Blue subscribers only.
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In order to enhance account security, two-factor authentication requires users to provide a secondary authentication method in addition to a password. Twitter offers 2FA through text messages, authentication apps, and security keys.
In a blog post linked to by a tweet on Wednesday, the company stated that it suspects “bad actors” are misusing phone-number-based 2FA.
In response to a user’s tweet claiming that telcos had used bot accounts to increase 2FA SMS usage, causing Twitter to change its policy, and that the company was losing $60 million annually to fraudulent SMS, Twitter owner Elon Musk simply tweeted “Yup”.
The blue check mark, which was previously provided free of charge to verified accounts of politicians, public figures, journalists, and other notable individuals, is now available to anyone willing to pay.
Twitter announced last month that the subscription fee for Twitter Blue on Android devices would be $11 per month, the same as for iOS subscribers.
