Twitter users have reported difficulties accessing two-factor authentication on the social media platform, raising concerns that individual and business users could lose access to their account when they log out.
On Tuesday morning, new Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced that the site will soon disable “microservices” bloatware on the back end of the platform, a move he said will increase load times. Twitter.
The decision comes as Musk cuts staffing levels and costs at the company, which the controversial entrepreneur now leads after a dramatic $44 billion buyout.
Industry experts such as Australian Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant fear that breaking up Twitter’s employee base could weaken the platform and put users’ safety at risk.
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Shortly after Musk vowed to cut microservices from the Twitter platform, users began reporting problems accessing Twitter’s two-factor authentication system.
lmaoooo https://t.co/CEBsUG0GnD pic.twitter.com/jDBgGHwNk2
— Arya 🏳️⚧️ (@FairywrenTech) November 14, 2022
Having trouble getting 2FA SMS codes from Twitter?
I’m not getting any. Maybe another bloatware feature is disabled? https://t.co/22qfcvbFzN
— @[email protected] (@SamGuichelaar) November 14, 2022
lmfao you also can’t turn off 2FA so if you have it on you just can’t log out ever I guess… pic.twitter.com/yvID6zAgxi
— 2fa microservice wiper (@mycoliza) November 14, 2022
Two-factor authentication, abbreviated as 2FA, requires users to verify their login details on two devices at once, making it harder for hackers to break into user accounts.
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission lists 2FA as a useful step internet users can take to protect their online identity.
But if 2FA services fail, users can effectively be locked out of their accounts when they log out of a social media platform.
Such a block could hurt businesses whose official accounts could become unusable without Twitter’s own intervention.
Twitter 2FA systems tested by SmartCompany remained operational as of Tuesday morning.
However, growing fears over Musk’s leadership and reports of dodgy operations elsewhere on the platform have raised fears that such a shutdown could occur.
Responding to claims the microservice responsible for sending the 2FA code may crash, New York Times Technology journalist Mike Isaac said such a move would be “not trivial”.
Ryan Broderick, author of the influential technology and social media newsletter Garbage Dayalso noted: “Make some backup codes, but if I log out, I might not be able to get back in.”
Isaac later said that the reported problem appeared to be with SMS 2FA and that users could log back into the service.
The unrest follows Twitter’s iteration of verification labels on top of its existing ‘blue track’ service.
