> When you were prompted to set up 2FA
My understanding is that OP did not set up MFA, they provided random answers to security questions which were (at that time) used only as an account recovery mechanism. My further understanding is that Apple unilaterally changed the account policy to require MFA, and automatically used those security questions as a (presumably temporary) second factor.
From my reading of the first few search results, this MFA requirement doesn’t apply to all accounts (and alarmingly MFA isn’t even available to all accounts?!). It seems likely to me OP’s has a developer account, which would have the MFA requirement.
It’s not clear to me how Apple migrates any account when they make their auth policy stricter for that account. If Apple did in fact change policy such that OP was previously able to gain authorized access by password, but subsequently was not with no action taken by OP, Apple should provide some alternative means to regain authorization—even if only to recover purchases, which would harm no one.
Security is an imperfect spectrum which coexists on another imperfect spectrum of convenience. The previous mechanism was effectively like leaving a key under a hypothetical doormat. OP’s description is that Apple placed a new lock inside the door they can already enter, demanding OP produce a key Apple left under that doormat as a matter or convenience in case the previous key was lost. If you told me that one day I might need a former convenience I don’t use and didn’t ask for to enter my home, well… it’s my home. If my home is a rental, I’d have the right to recover my belongings (and to complete the term of my lease, but this is where the abstraction breaks down because digital services have very few consumer protections).
OP certainly isn’t entitled to any further service from Apple. But they’re certainly entitled to the goods they’ve already purchased. Even if the terms of service (almost certainly derived from or similar to the butt of joke iTunes tos) disagree. Apple can’t morally just put a lock inside your door and claim it owns what’s behind that.
I’ve intentionally buried this disclaimer: I like Apple products and have been a customer since the 1990s. I expect more of them than this. I left this til last because I think the above is pretty straightforward and my loyalties to a brand should not influence that.