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0 pointslxgr3y ago0 comments

It really is every company's fault that jumps on this absurd trend of seeing SMS-2FA as the be-all and end-all of user identification and verification.

Google is actually doing much better than the competition here in many aspects (e.g. it is possible to operate a Google account completely without a phone number for 2FA or account recovery), but as far as I understand, one is still required to initially create an account.

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pilgrimfff3y ago

> it is possible to operate a Google account completely without a phone number

This is only true for a limited time. I've tried to use a couple Google accounts this way and inevitably I log in from a new IP and Google's 2FA system kicks in - forcing me to either furnish a phone number or lose access to the account.

It's similar to how Twitter forces phone numbers out of people - just not as immediate.

lxgrOP3y ago

Do they really ask for a phone number, or would a Yubikey work as well?

b1123y ago

A yubikey would be as useless in this article's specific case, as the problem is losing valuable things (eg, phones). A yubikey is no different.

It too would be lost.

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