Tag: sms
Modern Warfare 2’s SMS verification system is for PC players only, but you might not have to do it
Signal is winding down plaintext SMS support in its Android app
Signal is removing the option to send and receive SMS messages in its Android app. Folks who currently use Signal as their default SMS app will receive alerts advising them to switch to a different one. You’ll be able to export your SMS messages and import them into another app (as long as the other one supports that option).
The change won’t happen overnight. “You will have several months to transition away from SMS in Signal, to export your SMS messages to another app, and to let the people you talk to know that they might want to switch to Signal or find another channel if not,” Signal wrote in a blog post.
Signal said it included SMS support in the first place to make it easier to use — you wouldn’t have to convince friends to start using Signal before exchanging messages with them from the app. While the move may be inconvenient for those who have been using Signal for the bulk of their messaging, the company spelled out some practical reasons for the change.
For one thing, SMS messages don’t have end-to-end encryption. Also, given the shifting prices of data and text plans over the years, it may actually be more expensive to send an SMS message than a Signal one these days. “We’ve heard repeatedly from people who’ve been hit with high messaging fees after assuming that the SMS messages they were sending were Signal messages, only to find out that they were using SMS, and being charged by their telecom provider,” Signal’s blog post reads. “This is a terrible experience with real consequences.”
The third reason Signal gave is that it wants to avoid folks getting confused between SMS and Signal messages in the app. It said that making these distinct has “serious UX and design implications.” Furthermore, Signal said dropping SMS support will free up resources to work on other projects and features.
It made the decision following a data breach at its verification partner Twillio. Signal said the incident exposed around 1,900 of its users’ phone numbers and SMS codes. It’s unclear whether the call to end SMS support is directly connected to the breach.
Looks like Overwatch 2’s controversial SMS Protect feature is making its way to Modern Warfare 2
It seems as though Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 players will be required to connect a phone number to their Battle.net account before playing the game.
That’s according to notice posted to the Blizzard support page which notes two-factor authentication, called SMS Protect, is a requirement to play the shooter (thanks, PC Gamer).
“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, newly created Overwatch 2 accounts, and newly created Call of Duty: Modern Warfare accounts, require that you add a phone number to your Battle.net account.”
‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’ will use Blizzard’s controversial SMS Protect system
When the next Call of Duty arrives on October 28th, fans will need to connect a phone number to their Battle.net account to play the game. “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, newly created Overwatch 2 accounts, and newly created Call of Duty: Modern Warfare accounts require a phone number,” says a recently updated support page spotted by PC Gamer.
News of the requirement comes following a week of controversy around SMS Protect, the phone-linking system in use by Overwatch 2 and soon Modern Warfare II. After a bumpy launch that saw a DDoS attack prevent many from playing Overwatch 2 on its release day, Blizzard announced it would scale back the requirement. Where the studio previously said all players would need to link a phone number to their Battle.net account, now that requisite only falls on new Overwatch players. In part, the system has been controversial because “certain pre-paid” numbers could not be used in conjunction with SMS Protect. Before Friday, players with service from mobile providers like Cricket Wireless found they could not play the game.
At the moment, it’s unclear if all Warzone 2.0 players will need a mobile phone number to play that game once it arrives on November 16th. Since 2020, Infinity Ward has required all free-to-play Warzone users on PC to go through a two-factor authentication process. Activision Blizzard did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for clarification and comment.
Overwatch 2 Status Update: Blizzard Makes Changes To SMS Requirement, Addresses Bugs
An Overwatch 2 community manager took to the game’s official forums to share an Overwatch 2 status update. The post outlines some of player’s biggest concerns with the game’s tumultuous launch, as well as lays out how Blizzard intends to address these issues.
The first issue the post addressed was Overwatch 2‘s SMS requirement. Prior to the update, all Overwatch 2 players were required to connect their phone to their Battle.net account in an effort to hold individuals more accountable for cheating or bad behavior. However, after many players expressed frustration with the system and criticized it for being exclusionary, Blizzard has all but eliminated the policy for existing players.
“The majority of our console community (players who already had Overwatch connected to their Battle.net account, including any console player who has played since June 9, 2021) no longer need to meet SMS Protect requirements,” Blizzard wrote. “Any PC player who ever played the original Overwatch has this requirement removed.”
Blizzard will remove its controversial SMS Protect system from Overwatch 2, but only for OW1 players
In a bid to keep player accounts protected and curb in-game toxicity, Blizzard added an SMS Protect system to Overwatch 2 for players. This system required all players, across all platforms, to have a phone number associated with their Battle.net accounts.
Except, this isn’t just about protecting players; the SMS Protect system also aids Blizzard with controlling exactly who can access Overwatch 2. Blizzard has since announced it will be removing the SMS protect system for Overwatch 2 players that previously played Overwatch 1 since June, 9, 2021. If you’re not exactly sure what the deal with SMS Protect is, we’ve explained it here.
In a previous blog post detailing its Defense Matrix initiative, which is aimed at disincentivising disruptive behaviour and gameplay, Blizzard said, “SMS Protect brings meaningful change when it comes to disruptive play. This additional layer of security is an industry-proven solution in combating both cheating and disruptive behaviour, further protecting your Overwatch 2 experience from bad actors.”
‘Overwatch 2’ moderation tools include voice chat transcriptions and SMS verification
Overwatch 2 is set to go live and free-to-play on October 4th, and in preparation for the big day, Blizzard has outlined a suite of moderation tools aimed at curbing abusive and disruptive player behavior. The new system will require a phone number to be linked to every account, and will introduce audio transcriptions of reported voice chat interactions, among other changes. Blizzard is calling the initiative Defense Matrix, named after D.Va’s hologram shield ability.
The phone-linking system, SMS Protect, means every Overwatch 2 player will need to connect a phone number to their Battle.net account, and that number can’t be used to operate or create another account. This makes it easier to enforce suspensions and bans, and makes it harder for players to cheat the matchmaking system. SMS Protect isn’t a new idea in the world of competitive online gaming, and it’s a proven way to reduce smurfing — a practice where skilled players create new accounts and creep into lower-tier matches, whether to boost their friends, avoid a ban or simply troll.
Another notable feature of Defense Matrix is the addition of audio transcriptions for problematic voice chat recordings and automated review tools for the resulting text. The transcription process relies on players reporting abusive speech as it happens — but once someone is reported, this system collects a temporary recording of the match’s voice chat and transcribes it to text. That text is then analyzed by Blizzard’s existing AI-driven abuse-detection tools.
When it comes to the longevity of the recordings and text files, Blizzard said the following: “Once the audio recording has been transcribed to text, it’s quickly deleted as the file’s sole purpose is to identify potentially disruptive behavior. The text file is then deleted no later than 30 days after the audio transcription.”
The studio said audio transcriptions will roll out in the weeks after launch. Additionally, the general chat feature won’t exist in Overwatch 2, leaving Twitch streamers one fewer outlet for their watch-me spam. Blizzard outlined the complete Defense Matrix strategy on the Overwatch blog, alongside checklists for existing and new players. October 2nd is the final full day to play the original Overwatch, and Overwatch 2 is scheduled to go live worldwide at 3pm ET on October 4th.