How to keep your Twitter account secure — without paying

Twitter users were greeted early Saturday with an ultimatum from the social media app: Subscribe to the platform’s new premium carrier or lose a popular account security characteristic.

A pop-up message warned users they may lose the potential to secure their debts through textual content message two-issue authentication until they pay $eight a month to join Twitter Blue.

The message said that beginning March 19, users who don’t subscribe will be locked out of their debts till they put off the security function.

Here are some questions and answers approximately why Twitter made this modification and alternative methods to at ease your account:

WHAT IS TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION?

Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of safety to password-protected debts by means of having customers enter an automobile-generated code to log in.

This more step allows guard on-line debts due to the fact similarly to the password, you need get right of entry to to a separate app, device or phone quantity where you could acquire the code.Twitter customers had been greeted early Saturday with an ultimatum from the social media app: Subscribe to the platform’s new top class provider or lose a famous account security function.

A pop-up message warned customers they may lose the capability to comfy their accounts through text message two-element authentication unless they pay $8 a month to enroll in Twitter Blue.

The message stated that starting March 19, users who don’t subscribe can be locked out of their money owed until they take away the security characteristic.

Here are some questions and answers about why Twitter made this transformation and alternative ways to cozy your account:

WHAT IS TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION?

Two-thing authentication adds a 2nd layer of safety to password-covered accounts with the aid of having customers input an automobile-generated code to log in.

This greater step enables safeguard online accounts due to the fact similarly to the password, you want access to a separate app, tool or telephone range in which you can acquire the code.Such codes can be generated by using apps like Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator. Or they can be despatched to a user’s phone through text message.

It’s the textual content message-primarily based two-aspect authorization that Twitter is now restricting only to subscribers of Twitter Blue.In a weblog submit Wednesday, the San Francisco-based agency acknowledged that the textual content message-based safety method has been traditionally popular with its users, but stated the function is being “used — and abused — by using awful actors.”

The business enterprise did not respond early Saturday to an e-mail in search of greater info on how the safety technique turned into being abused.

Elon Musk, who completed his $44 billion takeover of Twitter in October, has been searching for manner to maximise profits on the organization.

One of those is Twitter Blue, which amongst different functions lets in every person to pay for verification formerly reserved for celebrities, journalists and different famous people.

In its weblog, Twitter advocated users who aren’t going to join Twitter Blue to remember the usage of opportunity account security options, especially an authentication app or safety key.

These methods require you to have bodily ownership of the authentication method and are an amazing manner to ensure your account is cozy.