I gotta say it. Multi-factor authentication is super inaccessible if you have disabilities that make it hard to switch between a bunch of applications and fill out forms, like Autism and ADHD, or if you're poor with inconsistent cell phone service or wi-fi access!

As an Autistic person, I sometimes choose to use a service "unsafely" because if I went through all the verification apps and hoops and numbers required, I wouldn't use the service at all.

It's just yet another example of how we cope with a massive social need by putting a ton of bureaucratic hassle on individual people.

last Feb AT&T cell phone service was not available in Chicago for a whole day. I couldn't get past two-factor authentication and login to my course sites! I couldn't access my pay stubs or one drive! People who can't pay their phone bill get locked out like this every day.

It was a huge executive functioning challenge to handle my University making us change our passwords every semester, too, of course. I had to get my password reset so many times bc I couldn't remember it, which i can't imagine improves security. so the old way sucked too.

I'm sometimes able to push through this stuff, but my boyfriend gets Very Overwhelmed by forms and filling out fields and unlocking shut-down accounts... he's had to physically walk to his bank to check his balance for years. Because resetting it online is just, not possible

He forgot his login to his Venmo oh two years ago? maybe? and to verify his identity and reset it he'd need access to an email his college shut down. and he is not built to handle this kinda stuff. so the boy has no venmo