Instagram Rolling Out Two-Factor Authentication to Protect Users From Hacking Attempts

Following a testing phase that started in late last year, Instagram today started rolling out two-factor authentication to its users, reports TechCrunch With two-factor authentication, Instagram accounts will have another layer of security to keep them safe from hacking attempts.

Instagram's two-factor authentication allows users to establish a verified phone number, which will be used to generate authentication codes that must be input before someone can log into an account with an Instagram username and password.

Instagram has lagged on implementing additional security measures to keep user accounts safe. Facebook, Instagram's parent company, has had two-factor authentication available for several years. Other major social networks like Twitter and Snapchat also already support two-factor authentication.

According to an Instagram spokesperson who spoke to Engadget, the rollout of two factor authentication will happen "slowly," so it could take awhile for the feature to disseminate to all users.

Today's announcement of two-factor authentication support follows the implementation of another much-desired feature, the support for multiple accounts. Instagram began rolling out multi-account support at the beginning of February.

Instagram can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]