On: Companies embracing SMS for account logins should ...

[lotsofpulp]

Because phone numbers serve as an effective way to screen for bots. Also, they are unique and people don’t change them, so useful for tracking people.

[fsckboy → lotsofpulp]

> Because phone numbers serve as an effective way to screen for bots.

only because we allow telco rent-seeking on phone numbers.

[kome → lotsofpulp]

but when they have to change them (i.e. moving to a new country), or they got stolen, it's pure pain. it's not a good system.

[lotsofpulp → kome]

For sure, there should at least be an option for TOTP backup, but the powers that be know they would rather inconvenience a small percentage in exchange for the benefits.