Twitter on Friday announced that from March 20, only Twitter Blue premium subscribers will be allowed to use the text message/SMS method of two-factor authentication to secure their accounts. To provide an additional layer of security to accounts, Twitter uses two-factor authentication.


Instead of only entering a password to log in, two-factor authentication via SMS requires users to also enter a code or use a security key. As of now, Twitter offers three methods of authentication: text message, authentication app, and security key. 


After March 20, "only Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to use text messages as their two-factor authentication method," the company tweeted.






However, the company added that other accounts can use an authentication app or security key for two-factor authentication.


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“While historically a popular form of 2FA (Two-factor authentication, unfortunately, we have seen phone-number based 2FA be used - and abused - by bad actors," the company said in a blog update.


“Non-Twitter Blue subscribers that are already enrolled will have 30 days to disable this method and enrol in another. After 20 March 2023, we will no longer permit non-Twitter Blue subscribers to use text messages as a 2FA method,” Twitter said. 


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However, the company added that disabling text message two-factor authentication does not automatically disassociate your phone number from your Twitter account. If you would like to do so, instructions to update your account phone number are available on our Help Center, the company mentioned.


The blue checkmarks, which were previously only available to verified accounts of public figures like journalists, legislators, and other well-known people, are now available to anyone willing to pay.


Twitter announced last month that the cost of the Twitter Blue subscription for Android users will be the same as that for iOS users: $11 per month.