Twitter stated on Friday that only premium members will be allowed to use text messages as a two-factor authentication (2FA) method to safeguard their accounts.
After March 20, the business declared in a tweet that only Twitter Blue subscribers would be permitted to use text messages as their two-factor authentication method.
The use of two-factor authentication, which is intended to strengthen account security, requires the account holder to use a second authentication method in addition to their password. Twitter offers 2FA support via SMS messages, an authentication app, and a security key.
The company believes “bad actors” are misusing phone-number-based 2FA, according to a blog post published on Wednesday to which the company’s tweet included a link.
Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, responded with the word “Yup” in response to a user tweet that stated the business was modifying its policy “because Telcos Using Bot Accounts to Pump 2FA SMS” and that it was losing $60 million a year “on fraud SMS.”
Anyone willing to pay can now display the blue checkmark, which was previously restricted to verified accounts of public figures including journalists, lawmakers, and other well-known persons.