diff --git a/addons/mail/controllers/discuss.py b/addons/mail/controllers/discuss.py
index 3d07c56fdb7..0f3c88eec38 100644
--- a/addons/mail/controllers/discuss.py
+++ b/addons/mail/controllers/discuss.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from psycopg2 import IntegrityError
 from psycopg2.errorcodes import UNIQUE_VIOLATION
 
 from odoo import http
-from odoo.exceptions import UserError
+from odoo.exceptions import AccessError, UserError
 from odoo.http import request
 from odoo.tools import consteq, file_open
 from odoo.tools.misc import get_lang
@@ -413,8 +413,14 @@ class DiscussController(http.Controller):
 
     @http.route('/mail/thread/data', methods=['POST'], type='json', auth='user')
     def mail_thread_data(self, thread_model, thread_id, request_list, **kwargs):
-        res = {}
+        res = {'hasWriteAccess': False}
         thread = request.env[thread_model].with_context(active_test=False).search([('id', '=', thread_id)])
+        try:
+            thread.check_access_rights("write")
+            thread.check_access_rule("write")
+            res['hasWriteAccess'] = True
+        except AccessError:
+            pass
         if 'activities' in request_list:
             res['activities'] = thread.activity_ids.activity_format()
         if 'attachments' in request_list:
@@ -427,9 +433,6 @@ class DiscussController(http.Controller):
                 'display_name': follower.display_name,
                 'email': follower.email,
                 'is_active': follower.is_active,
-                # When editing the followers, the "pencil" icon that leads to the edition of subtypes
-                # should be always be displayed and not only when "debug" mode is activated.
-                'is_editable': True,
                 'partner': follower.partner_id.mail_partner_format()[follower.partner_id],
             } for follower in thread.message_follower_ids]
         if 'suggestedRecipients' in request_list:
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/components/follower_list_menu/follower_list_menu.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/components/follower_list_menu/follower_list_menu.xml
index 6d5d420c06c..04c3edafc7d 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/components/follower_list_menu/follower_list_menu.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/components/follower_list_menu/follower_list_menu.xml
@@ -12,20 +12,26 @@
 
                     <t t-if="state.isDropdownOpen">
                         <div class="o_FollowerListMenu_dropdown dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-right" role="menu">
-                            <t t-if="thread.channel_type !== 'chat'">
+                            <t t-if="thread.model !== 'channel' and thread.hasWriteAccess">
                                 <a class="o_FollowerListMenu_addFollowersButton dropdown-item" href="#" role="menuitem" t-on-click="_onClickAddFollowers">
                                     Add Followers
                                 </a>
+                                <t t-if="thread.followers.length > 0">
+                                    <div role="separator" class="dropdown-divider"/>
+                                </t>
                             </t>
                             <t t-if="thread.followers.length > 0">
-                                <div role="separator" class="dropdown-divider"/>
-                                <t t-foreach="thread.followers" t-as="follower" t-key="follower.localId">
-                                    <Follower
-                                        className="'o_FollowerMenu_follower dropdown-item'"
-                                        followerLocalId="follower.localId"
-                                        onClick="_onClickFollower"
-                                    />
-                                </t>
+                                <Follower
+                                    t-foreach="thread.followers" t-as="follower" t-key="follower.localId"
+                                    className="'o_FollowerMenu_follower dropdown-item'"
+                                    followerLocalId="follower.localId"
+                                    onClick="_onClickFollower"
+                                />
+                            </t>
+                            <t t-elif="!thread.hasWriteAccess">
+                                <div class="o_FollowerListMenu_noFollowers dropdown-item disabled">
+                                    No Followers
+                                </div>
                             </t>
                         </div>
                     </t>
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/follower.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/follower.js
index ab8e3738c7f..a028149c914 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/follower.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/follower.js
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ registerModel({
             if ('is_active' in data) {
                 data2.isActive = data.is_active;
             }
-            if ('is_editable' in data) {
-                data2.isEditable = data.is_editable;
-            }
             if ('partner_id' in data) {
                 if (!data.partner_id) {
                     data2.partner = unlinkAll();
@@ -134,6 +131,14 @@ registerModel({
             }
             this.closeSubtypes();
         },
+        /**
+         * @private
+         * @returns {boolean}
+         */
+        _computeIsEditable() {
+            const hasWriteAccess = this.followedThread ? this.followedThread.hasWriteAccess : false;
+            return this.messaging.currentPartner === this.partner ? true : hasWriteAccess;
+        },
     },
     fields: {
         followedThread: one('Thread', {
@@ -150,8 +155,11 @@ registerModel({
         isActive: attr({
             default: true,
         }),
+        /**
+         * States whether the follower's subtypes are editable by current user.
+         */
         isEditable: attr({
-            default: false,
+            compute: '_computeIsEditable',
         }),
         partner: one('Partner', {
             required: true,
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js
index f8844728ff3..ba1b4d8da8d 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js
@@ -635,6 +635,7 @@ registerModel({
                 activities: activitiesData,
                 attachments: attachmentsData,
                 followers: followersData,
+                hasWriteAccess,
                 suggestedRecipients: suggestedRecipientsData,
             } = await this.env.services.rpc({
                 route: '/mail/thread/data',
@@ -647,7 +648,7 @@ registerModel({
             if (!this.exists()) {
                 return;
             }
-            const values = {};
+            const values = { hasWriteAccess };
             if (activitiesData) {
                 Object.assign(values, {
                     activities: insertAndReplace(activitiesData.map(activityData =>
@@ -2011,6 +2012,13 @@ registerModel({
             compute: '_computeHasSeenIndicators',
             default: false,
         }),
+        /**
+         * States whether current user has write access for the record. If yes, few other operations
+         * (like adding other followers to the thread) are enabled for the user.
+         */
+        hasWriteAccess: attr({
+            default: false,
+        }),
         id: attr({
             readonly: true,
             required: true,
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js
index 686b07f0944..32a12776ddf 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js
@@ -58,9 +58,6 @@ insertModelFields('mail.channel', {
     state: { default: 'open', string: "FoldState", type: "char" },
     uuid: { default: () => _.uniqueId('mail.channel_uuid-') },
 });
-insertModelFields('mail.followers', {
-    is_editable: { type: 'boolean' },
-});
 insertModelFields('mail.message', {
     history_partner_ids: { relation: 'res.partner', string: "Partners with History", type: 'many2many' },
     is_discussion: { string: 'Discussion', type: 'boolean' },
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follow_button_tests.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follow_button_tests.js
index bff8cde6e2e..e95e99e8cfe 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follow_button_tests.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follow_button_tests.js
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ QUnit.test('hover following button', async function (assert) {
     this.data['mail.followers'].records.push({
         id: 1,
         is_active: true,
-        is_editable: true,
         partner_id: this.data.currentPartnerId,
         res_id: 100,
         res_model: 'res.partner',
@@ -148,7 +147,6 @@ QUnit.test('click on "follow" button', async function (assert) {
     this.data['mail.followers'].records.push({
         id: 1,
         is_active: true,
-        is_editable: true,
         partner_id: this.data.currentPartnerId,
         res_id: 100,
         res_model: 'res.partner',
@@ -203,7 +201,6 @@ QUnit.test('click on "unfollow" button', async function (assert) {
     this.data['mail.followers'].records.push({
         id: 1,
         is_active: true,
-        is_editable: true,
         partner_id: this.data.currentPartnerId,
         res_id: 100,
         res_model: 'res.partner',
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_list_menu_tests.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_list_menu_tests.js
index c98d1823614..9be84a917d2 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_list_menu_tests.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_list_menu_tests.js
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ QUnit.test('base rendering editable', async function (assert) {
     const thread = messaging.models['Thread'].create({
         id: 100,
         model: 'res.partner',
+        hasWriteAccess: true,
     });
     await this.createFollowerListMenuComponent(thread, widget.el);
 
@@ -141,13 +142,13 @@ QUnit.test('click on "add followers" button', async function (assert) {
         email: "bla@bla.bla",
         id: 1,
         is_active: true,
-        is_editable: true,
         name: "François Perusse",
         res_id: 100,
         res_model: 'res.partner',
     });
     const { messaging, widget } = await start({ data: this.data, env: { bus } });
     const thread = messaging.models['Thread'].create({
+        hasWriteAccess: true,
         id: 100,
         model: 'res.partner',
     });
@@ -241,7 +242,6 @@ QUnit.test('click on remove follower', async function (assert) {
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: true,
         partner: insert({
             email: "bla@bla.bla",
             id: messaging.currentPartner.id,
@@ -278,5 +278,160 @@ QUnit.test('click on remove follower', async function (assert) {
     );
 });
 
+QUnit.test('Hide "Add follower" and subtypes edition/removal buttons except own user on read only record', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(5);
+
+    this.data['res.partner'].records.push({ id: 100 }, { id: 11 });
+    this.data['mail.followers'].records.push(
+        {
+            id: 1,
+            name: "Jean Michang",
+            is_active: true,
+            partner_id: this.data.currentPartnerId,
+            res_id: 100,
+            res_model: 'res.partner',
+        }, {
+            id: 2,
+            name: "Eden Hazard",
+            is_active: true,
+            partner_id: 11,
+            res_id: 100,
+            res_model: 'res.partner',
+        },
+    );
+    const { click, createChatterContainerComponent } = await start({
+        data: this.data,
+        async mockRPC(route, args) {
+            if (route === '/mail/thread/data') {
+                // mimic user with no write access
+                const res = await this._super(...arguments);
+                res['hasWriteAccess'] = false;
+                return res;
+            }
+            return this._super(...arguments);
+        },
+    });
+    await createChatterContainerComponent({
+        threadId: 100,
+        threadModel: 'res.partner',
+    });
+
+    await click('.o_FollowerListMenu_buttonFollowers');
+    assert.containsNone(
+        document.body,
+        '.o_FollowerListMenu_addFollowersButton',
+        "'Add followers' button should not be displayed for a readonly record",
+    );
+    const followersList = document.querySelectorAll('.o_Follower');
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        followersList[0],
+        '.o_Follower_editButton',
+        "should display edit button for a follower related to current user",
+    );
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        followersList[0],
+        '.o_Follower_removeButton',
+        "should display remove button for a follower related to current user",
+    );
+    assert.containsNone(
+        followersList[1],
+        '.o_Follower_editButton',
+        "should not display edit button for other followers on a readonly record",
+    );
+    assert.containsNone(
+        followersList[1],
+        '.o_Follower_removeButton',
+        "should not display remove button for others on a readonly record",
+    );
+});
+
+QUnit.test('Show "Add follower" and subtypes edition/removal buttons on all followers if user has write access', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(5);
+
+    this.data['res.partner'].records.push({ id: 100 }, { id: 11 });
+    this.data['mail.followers'].records.push(
+        {
+            id: 1,
+            name: "Jean Michang",
+            is_active: true,
+            partner_id: this.data.currentPartnerId,
+            res_id: 100,
+            res_model: 'res.partner',
+        }, {
+            id: 2,
+            name: "Eden Hazard",
+            is_active: true,
+            partner_id: 11,
+            res_id: 100,
+            res_model: 'res.partner',
+        },
+    );
+    const { click, createChatterContainerComponent } = await start({
+        data: this.data,
+        async mockRPC(route, args) {
+            if (route === '/mail/thread/data') {
+                // mimic user with write access
+                const res = await this._super(...arguments);
+                res['hasWriteAccess'] = true;
+                return res;
+            }
+            return this._super(...arguments);
+        },
+    });
+    await createChatterContainerComponent({
+        threadId: 100,
+        threadModel: 'res.partner',
+    });
+
+    await click('.o_FollowerListMenu_buttonFollowers');
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        document.body,
+        '.o_FollowerListMenu_addFollowersButton',
+        "'Add followers' button should be displayed for the writable record",
+    );
+    const followersList = document.querySelectorAll('.o_Follower');
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        followersList[0],
+        '.o_Follower_editButton',
+        "should display edit button for a follower related to current user",
+    );
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        followersList[0],
+        '.o_Follower_removeButton',
+        "should display remove button for a follower related to current user",
+    );
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        followersList[1],
+        '.o_Follower_editButton',
+        "should display edit button for other followers also on the writable record",
+    );
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        followersList[1],
+        '.o_Follower_removeButton',
+        "should display remove button for other followers also on the writable record",
+    );
+});
+
+QUnit.test('Show "No Followers" dropdown-item if there are no followers and user dose not have write access', async function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(1);
+
+    const { messaging, widget } = await start({ data: this.data });
+    const thread = messaging.models['Thread'].create({
+        id: 100,
+        model: 'res.partner',
+        hasWriteAccess: false,
+    });
+
+    await this.createFollowerListMenuComponent(thread, widget.el);
+    await afterNextRender(() => {
+        document.querySelector('.o_FollowerListMenu_buttonFollowers').click();
+    });
+    assert.containsOnce(
+        document.body,
+        '.o_FollowerListMenu_noFollowers.disabled',
+        "should display 'No Followers' dropdown-item",
+    );
+});
+
 });
 });
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_subtype_tests.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_subtype_tests.js
index 849425b833e..7159d0ddded 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_subtype_tests.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_subtype_tests.js
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ QUnit.test('simplest layout of a followed subtype', async function (assert) {
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: true,
     });
     const followerSubtype = messaging.models['FollowerSubtype'].create({
         id: 1,
@@ -105,7 +104,6 @@ QUnit.test('simplest layout of a not followed subtype', async function (assert)
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: true,
     });
     const followerSubtype = messaging.models['FollowerSubtype'].create({
         id: 1,
@@ -163,7 +161,6 @@ QUnit.test('toggle follower subtype checkbox', async function (assert) {
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: true,
     });
     const followerSubtype = messaging.models['FollowerSubtype'].create({
         id: 1,
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_tests.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_tests.js
index d8b3a68d622..a7bccbaa53d 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_tests.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/qunit_suite_tests/components/follower_tests.js
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ QUnit.test('base rendering not editable', async function (assert) {
     const { messaging, widget } = await start({ data: this.data });
 
     const thread = messaging.models['Thread'].create({
+        hasWriteAccess: false,
         id: 100,
         model: 'res.partner',
     });
@@ -43,7 +44,6 @@ QUnit.test('base rendering not editable', async function (assert) {
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: false,
     });
     await this.createFollowerComponent(follower, widget.el);
     assert.containsOnce(
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ QUnit.test('base rendering editable', async function (assert) {
 
     const { messaging, widget } = await start({ data: this.data });
     const thread = messaging.models['Thread'].create({
+        hasWriteAccess: true,
         id: 100,
         model: 'res.partner',
     });
@@ -89,7 +90,6 @@ QUnit.test('base rendering editable', async function (assert) {
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: true,
     });
     await this.createFollowerComponent(follower, widget.el);
     assert.containsOnce(
@@ -158,7 +158,6 @@ QUnit.test('click on partner follower details', async function (assert) {
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: true,
         partner: insert({
             email: "bla@bla.bla",
             id: messaging.currentPartner.id,
@@ -192,7 +191,6 @@ QUnit.test('click on edit follower', async function (assert) {
     this.data['mail.followers'].records.push({
         id: 2,
         is_active: true,
-        is_editable: true,
         partner_id: this.data.currentPartnerId,
         res_id: 100,
         res_model: 'res.partner',
@@ -266,7 +264,6 @@ QUnit.test('edit follower and close subtype dialog', async function (assert) {
         followedThread: link(thread),
         id: 2,
         isActive: true,
-        isEditable: true,
         partner: insert({
             email: "bla@bla.bla",
             id: messaging.currentPartner.id,