For SMS two-factor authentication, Twitter will charge

Users who do not subscribe to Twitter Blue will soon be forced to stop utilizing text texts as a form of two-factor verification to protect their accounts, according to a Friday announcement from Twitter.

According to a press release issued on Wednesday, the social networking site will no longer allow non-Twitter Blue subscribers to use text texts as a two-factor verification method after March 20. Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur of Tesla, acquired the website last year.

In order to access their accounts, users who utilize two-factor authentication must also input a security code or key in addition to their usual password.

According to Twitter, “This additional step helps ensure that you, and only you, can access your account.”

The organization said that “bad actors” had been misusing the two-factor authentication mechanism using phone numbers.

Users who do not have a Twitter Blue subscription but still have two-factor authentication via text activated will no longer be able to use the service as of March 20 unless they choose to do so on their own.

Twitter provides two additional two-factor authentication options in addition to SMS messages: an authentication app and a security key.
For non-Twitter Blue members who still want to use an additional security precaution for their accounts, those two procedures will continue to be free and readily available options.

Musk tweeted on Saturday, “Use of free authentication applications for 2FA will remain free and are significantly more secure than SMS.”