Twitter Will Charge For Text Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication by text message will no longer be available for all users on Twitter, as users have begun receiving notifications telling them to remove the security feature or “risk losing access to Twitter.”

In a statement posted to their blog on Wednesday, Twitter made the official announcement that they will begin only allowing paid Twitter users to use SMS authentication for their accounts. “We have seen phone-number based 2FA be used – and abused – by bad actors,” the statement reads, using an acronym for two-factor authentication. “So starting today, we will no longer allow accounts to enroll in the text message/SMS method of 2FA unless they are Twitter Blue subscribers.”

Two-factor authentication requires users to enter a single-use code (often sent via SMS) in addition to their account password. This basic measure has been a helpful tool for many people to avoid issues of hacking, doxxing and identity theft. Twitter noted that other two-factor verification measures, like authenticator apps and security keys, would remain available.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, said in a tweet that the company has been “getting scammed by phone companies for $60M/year of fake 2FA SMS messages.” BuzzFeed News reached out to Twitter for any additional comment on the change, but did not immediately hear back.