What is 2-Factor Authentication?

A lot of models may not know what 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) is. Or they roughly know what it is, but don’t know what the big deal is. Some don’t turn it on because they think it’s an extra inconvenience when logging in. I’m here to explain what it is, how it works, and why it is so important, especially in the adult industry.

2-Factor Authentication, also known as two-step verification or dual factor authentication, is a security measure where a user has to complete two steps of authentication before being able to access their accounts. This is usually by entering their password, and then a security code sent to their phone, either via SMS or to an authentication app. The additional layer of security makes it hard for potential scammers, hackers or stalkers to gain access to your accounts. In practise, when you have two-factor authentication enabled, no one is able to access your accounts unless they have your password and your mobile phone. This makes it a lot more difficult for people online to get into your accounts without you wanting them to.

Using an authenticator app is preferable to using SMS authentication, and I would recommend using Google Authenticator for this. It is available on the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.

How easy is it for someone to get my password?

There are many ways for people to gain access to your password, some of them you have less control over than others. If you use the same password across multiple sites, and one of those websites gets hacked or has a data leak, your password and email address could be together on a database somewhere, waiting to be found by anyone who knows how to find it. You can check whether your email address has been involved in any known data breaches by visiting haveibeenpwned.com.

Another example of how people can get your password is by something known as phishing scams. An example of phishing would be if someone sent you an email pretending to be ManyVids, for example, and asking you to log in to your account. The email would contain a link that looked like it was a genuine ManyVids link, but when you logged in, it would send your username and password to the person who runs the fake website. (I’d like to add that, thankfully, ManyVids do not display any sensitive information even when you are logged into the account, which I applaud them for doing, but not all websites are like this.)

I was lucky enough to learn about phishing scams back in my Neopets days when I was about seven years old, when all people wanted to do was steal my Neopoints. Obviously I have a lot more to lose now! Phishing scams can be difficult to recognise – phishers are often quite clever and can make emails that look very convincing.

Another easy way for people to gain access to your accounts is to simply guess your password. This is not as likely to happen, especially if you have strong passwords. See this article at howtogeek.com about how to create strong passwords.

2-Factor Authentication and the Adult Industry

I was never the biggest fan of 2FA myself before joining the adult industry – I didn’t see myself as much of a threat for people wanting to gain access to my accounts. However, since joining the industry, my opinion has completely changed, at least as far as my sex work accounts are concerned. I have 2FA enabled everywhere that has the option to, and frequently message sites that don’t to ask why not. It genuinely surprises me how many cam/clip sites do not have 2FA and, when asked, do not seem to even realise how important it is.

I’ve come across some websites for clip models where 2FA isn’t an option. This is scary due to the amount of personal information your account can contain. A website that I will not name (but models are more than welcome to DM me on this account to ask which one) shows my full name, the number of my house, my town, and my province, which isn’t information I want anywhere other than behind the toughest security measures. The website does not have 2FA, despite the fact that I have been bothering them to introduce it for nine months at this point. This leaves me genuinely terrified for the models on that website that do not know to have strong and unique passwords, or how to protect themselves against phishing scams.

Please check the websites you use to make sure they have 2FA. If they don’t, email them and ask them why. Also let me know and I’ll email them too if I haven’t already. Model security and safety should be a priority and there is no excuse for it not to be the top priority for anyone who runs adult websites. If you don’t have the knowledge, money, or technical skills to keep clip or cam models on your website safe, you should not be running an adult website.

Chaturbate are basically the gold standard in this as far as I am concerned – they don’t even allow you to enter your payment info unless you have 2-factor authentication enabled. In my opinion, every adult website should employ this method to keep their models safe.

What can I do to keep myself safe on websites that don’t have 2-Factor Authentication?

What should I do on those stubborn websites that do not yet have 2-Factor Authentication? Use strong, long, unique passwords, saved in a password manager, or written down somewhere safe in your house. Do not store them digitally online, like in Google Drive. Click here to find out how to create strong passwords, and click here to learn more about password managers.