Starting Monday, Twitter will implement a fee for users to access SMS codes as part of its two-factor authentication (2FA) security measure. The announcement was made last month by the company, which came under the ownership of Elon Musk in October 2022. Going forward, only Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to request SMS login codes to help secure their accounts. Users still have the option to use alternative authentication methods after entering their password.
As of today, March 20, access to SMS as a 2FA option will be restricted to Twitter Blue subscribers. The platform currently provides several ways for users to secure their accounts, which include receiving an SMS login code, utilizing third-party authenticator apps, or deploying hardware security keys.
When the decision was first announced, Twitter indicated that users would have a 30-day period to remove SMS-based 2FA from their account settings. The company justified the changes by stating that it believed the text message-based 2FA method was being exploited by “bad actors.”
Twitter Blue subscriptions are priced at Rs. 900 per month or Rs. 9,400 annually. For those subscribing via the web interface, the prices are slightly lower at Rs. 650 per month or Rs. 6,800 per year.
While SMS codes are often viewed as a less secure 2FA option compared to authenticator apps and hardware keys, they are favored for their simplicity. The discontinuation of SMS-based 2FA could leave numerous Twitter accounts exposed to potential hacking attempts without adequate protection.
For users wishing to maintain a secure two-layer authentication for their Twitter accounts, options include obtaining a hardware security key or following a guide to set up a free third-party app, such as Authy, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or the open-source Aegis Authenticator app, following the removal of SMS-based 2FA on Monday.
