Recently Twitter announced that users who do not subscribe to Twitter Blue will soon have to give up using text messages as a two-factor authentication method to secure their accounts.

About the Update

The social media platform, now owned by Tesla founder Elon Musk the previous year, informed its users about the new policy in a press release. According to the policy, it will no longer permit non-Twitter Blue subscribers to use text messages as a two-factor authentication method after March 20.

Two-factor authentication is a tool that requires users to enter a security code or key in along with their password. It is an essential procedure to gain access to their accounts. “This additional step helps make sure that you, and only you, can access your account,” Twitter said about the process.

The company mentioned the change is due to the execrable actors abusing the phone number two-factor authentication system. Any users who do not subscribe to Twitter Blue and still have the two-factor authentication by text enabled will lose access to the service on March 20 if they do not change their settings.

In addendum to text messages, Twitter proposes two other methods of two-factor authentication: an authentication app and a security key. Those two methods will remain free and available alternatives for non-Twitter Blue members who still want to employ an extra security measure for their accounts. “Use of free authentication apps for 2FA will remain free and are much more secure than SMS,” Musk tweeted Saturday.