Featured in this episode of Chaos Lever
Twitter has announced yet another new policy, decidedly not agreed on by a poll (remember that promise?)
Starting March 20th, all users that wish to use text message-based 2FA will need to sign up for Twitter Blue. As many security experts swiftly noted, SMS 2FA is less secure than using an Authenticator app or token, and that’s true.
Of course, not everyone has a smartphone capable of running such an app, and others lack the technical sophistication to use authenticator apps. These are the same types of users who either won’t have the money or the interest in paying for Twitter Blue. The policy change makes users de facto less secure. And those who can afford to pay already have access to authenticator apps.
One could reasonably ask what Twitter’s motivation is behind this bizarre policy, and the answer is money. Because, of course it is. Sending thousands of SMS messages every day costs Twitter money, and they don’t want to pay that money. So force people to either stop using SMS 2FA or pony up the cash.
On the one hand, it makes financial sense. On the other hand, Christ, what an asshole.