Glossary
Direct message
Also called: DM, Private message, PM
A direct message (DM) is a private message sent from one user to another inside a social platform, visible only to the people in that conversation rather than posted publicly.
Reviewed
DMs compared with other ways to talk
“DM me” simply means “message me privately instead of replying in public.” It is the difference between shouting across a room and walking over to talk. The table shows where a DM sits among the other options on a typical social app.
| Channel | Who sees it | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Public post or comment | Anyone who can see the post | Discussion you are happy for others to join |
| Mention | Everyone who sees the post, plus a notification to the person | Pulling someone into a public thread |
| Direct message | Only you and the other person | Personal, practical or sensitive conversations |
| Group chat | Everyone in the group | Planning and chatting with several people |
- Public post or comment
- Who sees it:Anyone who can see the post
- Typical use:Discussion you are happy for others to join
- Mention
- Who sees it:Everyone who sees the post, plus a notification to the person
- Typical use:Pulling someone into a public thread
- Direct message
- Who sees it:Only you and the other person
- Typical use:Personal, practical or sensitive conversations
- Group chat
- Who sees it:Everyone in the group
- Typical use:Planning and chatting with several people
Who can message you: the main models
- Open: anyone can message anyone.
- Requests: messages from strangers land in a separate folder until you accept them.
- Followers or mutual follows only: you can message people you are connected with.
- Contacts only: the app works from phone numbers you already have.
Each model trades reach for safety. Open DMs make it easy to contact a stranger — a seller, a potential collaborator — but they also invite spam and unwanted attention. Requiring a mutual connection cuts that down sharply, at the cost of an extra step before a first conversation.
Whatever the model, a few habits help: check a new contact's profile before sharing anything personal, keep payments and addresses out of chats with people you have not met, and use block or report when a conversation turns unwanted. Most apps let you block someone from inside the chat itself.
Private does not mean encrypted
On Asyncbit
On Asyncbit, 1:1 chats are open only between people who mutually follow each other, so strangers cannot message you cold. The same rule applies when you reply to a story or tap “message seller” on a listing. Chats support text, photos, voice messages, reactions, replies, edits and unsend for everyone, with typing indicators and read receipts. Message content is encrypted at rest, not end-to-end. More on messaging.
See it for yourself
Asyncbit is free, with no paid tier and no ads. Everything described here is available from the first day.
Create your free accountRelated terms
Related Asyncbit features
Where this comes up
- GuideHow to find people with shared interests onlineWhere and how to find people who share your interests online, turn comments into real conversations, and stay safe while you get to know new people.
- GuideHow to keep a group chat useful instead of mutedHow to stop a group chat from turning into noise: give it one job, split side topics, set light house rules, and make decisions that don't get buried.
- GuideEnd-to-end encryption vs encryption at rest: who can actually read your messagesWhat end-to-end encryption, encryption at rest and TLS each protect, who can read your messages under each, and the trade-offs that decide which an app uses.
- GuideHow to protect your privacy on social mediaA practical privacy checklist for social media: audit your profile, stop location leaks, control who can reach you, secure your account and limit third-party access.
- GuideHow to buy and sell safely in your communityHow to buy and sell second-hand locally without getting scammed: vetting, safe meetups, inspecting items, paying safely by cash or UPI, and spotting red flags.