Twitter said on Friday that it will only allow subscribers to its paid service, Blue, to use text messages as a two-factor authentication method to protect their accounts.
In a blog post, the social media company said it remains committed to keeping people safe on Twitter, including rolling out two-factor authentication.
Two-factor authentication requires not only entering a password to log in, but also entering a passcode or using a security key. This extra step ensures that only the owner can access the account. Twitter offers three two-factor authentication methods: SMS, Authenticator App, and Security Key.
The company says text messages have historically been vulnerable to hackers, which is what happened to the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter (Jack Dorsey) himself, whose account was hacked in July 2016 and then again in 2019. It was hacked again at the end of August.
So, as of today, only accounts that have signed up for the service (Twitter Blue) can use SMS as a two-factor authentication method. For paid subscribers, SMS availability may vary by country and telecom operator, the company warns.
Non-Twitter Blue subscribers who are currently using SMS as their two-factor authentication method have 30 days to opt out of this method and choose a different method. After March 20, non-subscribers (Twitter Blue) are no longer allowed to use it to protect their accounts.
Twitter's move is believed to be part of an effort by the CEO and new owner (Elon Musk) to raise funds by any means possible to offset the value of the company's $44 billion acquisition in late October.
To discourage users from signing up (Twitter Blue), the company said it encourages users who don't sign up for the paid service to use an authenticator app or security key because it's "a great way to keep your account secure." . "
It should be noted that the (Twitter Blue) service is available for Internet users at a price of $7.99 per month, and for Android and (iOS) users at a price of $11 per month. It offers a number of unique features, such as: b- the blue confirmation badge and the ability to edit tweets.