Jack Dorsey Criticizes Threads App for Requiring 14 Permissions on iPhones

Threads was launched yesterday in over 100 countries and quickly amassed over a million users within a few hours, surpassing 30 million shortly after. However, there are significant concerns regarding the app’s handling of user privacy, with former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey even criticizing it. In comparison, Twitter boasts over 200 million daily active users.

Dorsey, who now runs Twitter competitor Bluesky, tweeted about Threads, saying, “All threads belong to us,” along with a screenshot of the app’s requested permissions. iPhone threads require different permissions, including health and fitness, which applies to many individuals. The blatant way in which it is done also worries many.

Why is Threads app access becoming a concern?

The threads require 14 permissions, including “health and fitness, browsing history, sensitive information, and financial information.” The threads collect information related to “sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs, address and phone number.”

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on Threads: “It’s going to take some time, but I think there should be a public chat app with over a billion people. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this, but it hasn’t. We did it. I hope we do.”

The app also had some security issues in Europe and could not be launched in the region. However, Meta says the team is working to meet the requirements of the Digital Markets Act of Europe and will release the app soon.

Earlier in January, Meta was fined EUR 377 million for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by running behavioral ads on Facebook and Instagram.

Although it is a new app and later it will bring many improvements and advancements, one thing that people are worried about is the collected personal information. However, the huge number of subscribers it has already taken doesn’t seem too bothered about sharing their information to get the app.