Looks like my account is back to normal now too, I just had to wait a little bit longer.

@dirtyjester1 .. yes I saw this and found that I could chat again. People were asking where I'd been. Experiment is over? Nobody from twitch bothered to contact me or explain anything. Perhaps they might comment in this thread and let us know /hint/.

I've seen some people reporting in other threads that the issue has been resolved for them. I't still present for me. Any change for anyone else here?

Phone number verification is just a security breach waiting to happen. I have 2FA on my computer which feels much safer, but as soon as I test burner numbers I have the option to get the authentication token from SMS.

Get your phone stolen and also your Twitch account in the process.

And that's just pretending this is a "security" thing like the settings pretend to be and not another profiling layer to create a more complete data sheet on the user.

I wouldn't even be that upset if they pushed creator sided phone verification for some privileges because I'm sure I'd still be able to interact *somewhere* but this is so silly right now.

You can create a dozen of dummy accounts with temporary e-mails which makes my old, authenticated, 2FA enabled account feel less valuable than phishing bots.

So far it's been what? Six weeks. Does anyone know of any official word on this, or any avenue to get some traction toward resolving this? I may have to get a life out in the real world.
Also, Support is totally ghosting me, is that happening to you/others as well?

Another affected user checking in here. I'm holding out hope this was a mistake and gets reversed. If it is intentional and permanent then I'm leaving the platform.

Oh boy if this is intentionally being rolled out to small batches of people and doesn't get reverted they will lose everyone.

There's no reason to have this as anything but an optional feature.

update. I'm reading 'bug' in the comments. Twitch support tells me it's an 'experiment'.

I will mention that enforcing phone verification is one of the main changes HAPPS rolled out just before that platform's sudden demise. Twitch is too big and too well respected to just die like that but HAPPS' failure to listen to its customers on this subject is at minimum a high-profile example that should be acknowledged internally.

Noted that support no longer respond to requests like "how long is this 'experiment' going to continue.

Turn off verified accounts only chat. Here’s two accounts with proof where streamers have it set off but twitch forces it on them anyways.

1) https://twitch.tv/viola_vivace
Streamer and mod both confirm that verified accounts only chat is turned off but this message appears regardless and won’t let me chat. “A verified phone number is required to chat in this channel. Please verify your phone number in Security & Privacy in Settings.”

https://clips.twitch.tv/TenderRefinedPorcupinePeoplesChamp-RyFXXkfg_0UZlxdh

https://files.catbox.moe/yh8zzo.png

2) https://twitch.tv/moriraine
Streamer confirms it’s turned off live on stream: https://clips.twitch.tv/CallousObliqueRamenHeyGuys-44Sj4TZaUOMp5pFd

But twitch decides to force it anyways screenshot proof:
https://files.catbox.moe/akalkn.png

Streamer and mod both confirm that verified accounts only chat is turned off but the A verified phone number is required to chat in this channel. Please verify your phone number in Security & Privacy in Settings message appears anyways and won’t let me chat.

https://clips.twitch.tv/TenderRefinedPorcupinePeoplesChamp-RyFXXkfg_0UZlxdh

https://files.catbox.moe/yh8zzo.png

Streamer confirms it’s turned off live on stream: https://clips.twitch.tv/CallousObliqueRamenHeyGuys-44Sj4TZaUOMp5pFd

But twitch decides to force it anyways screenshot proof:
https://files.catbox.moe/akalkn.png

This.

It's obviously a bug caused by something done in the back end as it has not occurred for everyone but only to some accounts.

There are several new throwaway accounts I've made that do not have this issue at all, and if it were applied to everyone it would definitely show that it was intentionally done.

My account is 8 years old and I have lost the ability to chat in pretty much every single stream across Twitch. You should leave it up to the individual streamer whether or not to enable phone verification. This isn't right as many of us are now effectively banned site-wide.

Don't lock my account behind VERIFIED ACCOUNT ONLY CHAT. You try to scam people to get their phone numbers.

This is extremely user hostile and an invasion of privacy for Twitch to suddenly do this to a bunch of people's accounts. If I can't chat anymore I will cancel my subs and might as well just watch Youtube.

This also badly effects users who may not actually have a mobile phone number.