Twitter announced Friday it will only allow paid subscribers of Twitter Blue to use text messages as a two-factor authentication (2FA) method to secure their accounts.
“Effective March 20, 2023, only Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to use text messages as their two-factor authentication method. Other accounts can use an authentication app or security key for 2FA,” the company tweeted.
Before this announcement, users were able to use the 2FA to keep their accounts secure. It required a second authentication method in addition to a password, and account holders would receive the code via text message.
Twitter allows 2FA by text message, authentication app, and a security key.
According to Reuters, Twitter said phone-number-based 2FA is being abused by “bad actors,” according to a Wednesday blog post that the company’s tweet linked to.
This isn’t the first time Musk decided to charge users for something that was once free. Verified accounts that were once free for politicians, famous personalities, journalists and other public figures is now open to anyone who subscribes to Twitter Blue.
For those who are interested in keeping their accounts secured can still do so. According to James Ball, of The Bureau, users can download Google’s Authenticator app for free and set up a two-factor authenticator for Twitter.
