The 'Delete Act' Passes, Twitter Blue Cash Grab, and the Death of Passwords
Since the inception of the World Wide Web, passwords have been a paradoxical necessity that provides a sense of security while also causing constant frustration. Despite their irksome nature, the use of passwords remains a vital aspect of digital security. Or does it?
The way we use the internet today will be completely different in a span of five, ten, and twenty years. With the inception of Multi-Factor Authentication, security keys, privacy-based browsers, and more, the way we access the digital world as we know it may never be the same.
As of March 20th, Twitter only allows its users to secure their accounts with SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) if they pay for a Twitter Blue subscription. Security experts are baffled by this decision as SMS text message is the least secure option for two-factor authentication. As unconventional as it may seem, there are some possibilities as to why Twitter came to this decision.?
In a July 2022 report about account security, Twitter said that only 2.6 percent of its active users have any type of two-factor authentication enabled. Of those users, nearly 75 percent were using the SMS version. Almost 29 percent were using authenticator apps, and less than 1 percent had added a physical authentication key.?
For the average consumer, SMS 2FA is the most intuitive option and, therefore, the most popular. If the goal is to monetize the product and strengthen the overall security of the company’s data, Twitter could simply target its most vulnerable audience to achieve those results. By requiring users to pay for the “path of least resistance,” they may essentially force consumers to adapt to better security practices.?
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The Delete Act is Senate Bill 362 that would create a website where Californians could require that a data broker stop tracking them and delete any information it has collected about them. It was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 25th and scheduled to be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 18.?
Currently, consumers can request the removal of their information from individual data broker websites, but it is a highly tedious process that involves several steps most consumers are not aware of or don’t have the patience for. There are services that scan the web for you and produce a list of websites exposing your private information from which you can request removal all in one place, but the Delete Act could accelerate this process even further. Regardless of the outcome of this committee meeting, it is time for lawmakers to protect consumers across the U.S. from data brokers’ largely unregulated, shadowy industry.
Will we ever live in a digital world without passwords?
It's no secret that passwords are the weak link in our online security. They're easily forgotten, often reused, and susceptible to hacking. There are companies, however, who are revolutionizing the way we access our online accounts by replacing passwords with strong authentication protocols. Using public-key cryptography to verify the identity of users it would eliminate the need for passwords altogether. Not only does this make our online experiences more convenient and secure, but it also saves businesses time and money spent on password resets and other security measures. With this technology, we may soon be able to say goodbye to the frustration and vulnerability of passwords once and for all.
With our data broker site removal service, we continuously scan the web so users can find out where their data is displayed and directly request the removal of their private information with a simple swipe.