Twitter has announced that it is in the process of expanding security controls for third-party apps. The social network will be revamped with a new permission screen, providing additional detail regarding specific information that can be accessed by various apps. Users will be informed if apps will attempt to access Tweets, follow lists, profile information, or direct messages.
Despite the heightened level of security, the new rules are expected to complicate the authentication process. Daring Fireball blogger John Gruber points out that all apps accessing direct messages will have to use OAuth logins, requiring third-party apps to forward users to Twitter.com rather than asking for login information directly within an app.
“The whole point of native Twitter clients is that some users want the sort of experience that only native apps can provide,” Gruber writes. “OAuth cannot be made to feel like a native experience, and account authentication is the very first thing you do when trying a new client.”
As part of the security improvements, Twitter is also moving to block apps from accessing direct messages unnecessarily. The new permissions screen is being introduced today, while the limitations are being applied by the end of the month.
