Edited by: Sharya Sharma
Last updated: February 18, 2023, 11:14 AM IST
This decision was not well received by many people, and many criticized Elon Musk for it.
Elon Musk’s Twitter account is reportedly changing its policy and will no longer offer the SMS/SMS method of the service to non-paying users.
Today, two-factor authentication (2FA) is a critical security measure for most websites. Social media giants like Twitter and Instagram have been implementing this feature for a while now. However, Elon Musk’s Twitter account is reportedly changing its policy and no longer offering the SMS/SMS method of the service to non-paying users.
In a official blog post, Twitter announced it will no longer allow Twitter accounts to enroll in 2FA’s SMS/SMS method unless they are Twitter Blue subscribers. The reason behind this decision, according to Twitter, is the exploitation of this feature by bad actors.
Twitter says non-Twitter Blue subscribers who are already enrolled and have used text-based 2FA “have 30 days to disable this method and enroll in another.” And “after March 20, 2023, we will no longer allow non-Twitter Blue subscribers to use text messages as a 2FA method.”
Until now, Twitter offered three methods of two-factor authentication: text-based login, security key, and authenticator app for all Twitter users, but as of now, Twitter only offers 2FA using authenticator app or security key method.
“We encourage non-Twitter Blue subscribers to use an authenticator app or security key method instead. These methods require you to have physical possession of the authentication method and are a great way to make sure your account is secure,” Twitter said.
This decision was not well received by many people, and many criticized Elon Musk for it.
Wow, @Elon Musk is so desperate for cash that he literally jeopardizes the safety of people’s accounts unless they pay him. That’s a real mess and a new low even for him that I never thought I’d say since he’s already scraping the ground. Wow, just wow! ♂️ pic.twitter.com/HEb8Se1B5M
— Barnacules Nerdgasm™️ (@Barnacules) February 18, 2023
“It will be the first site I know of that will charge for 2FA,” said one user. Another user said, “Holy crap, Twitter actually did this. I’ve worked with high-profile journalists who had their accounts hacked, but yeah, let’s make people pay for 2FA.”
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