Messages and group chats

A direct message is a conversation between you and one other person. A group chat has a name, an owner and a list of members. Both use the chat window, so you can keep them open while travelling elsewhere on the canvas.

These conversations have the same 500-character line limit and ordinary 24-hour fade as other chat. For information about data handling, read the Privacy Policy.

Start a direct message#

You have three entry points:

• Use Add a chat room, type a username and choose Message [name].
• Open Inbox, choose Compose message, enter the username under To, then choose Start conversation.
• Choose Message from the person's name menu or their row in People → Friends.

The conversation opens as a room. It also appears in Inbox → Messages, so closing its chat tab does not remove your way back.

You can start a conversation when you are friends or when the recipient permits messages from anyone. You cannot message yourself. An unknown username or a recipient who cannot be contacted produces an explanation instead of opening an empty conversation.

If the message says the person only takes messages from friends, send a friend request through People, or ask them through an appropriate existing channel. Repeatedly retrying does not override their choice.

Choose who can message you#

Open First-trip preferences from the canvas controls and find Who can message me. Choose Friends only or Anyone.

Friends only is the default. The setting controls who can start a direct message with you and is also checked when someone adds you to a group chat. Look for Saved. after changing it. That didn't save. Try again. means your previous setting remains in effect.

A conversation already begun can remain usable after the setting changes. To stop contact from a particular person, use Block. Protected accounts cannot open their message setting to anyone.

Make a group chat#

1. Open Add a chat room.
2. Under New group chat, enter a Group name of up to 60 characters.
3. Enter friends under People to invite (usernames, separated by commas).
4. Choose Create group.
5. Read the result, then choose Done.

A group holds up to 50 people including you. You can own up to 25 groups that you remain in.

Starting a group uses your friends as its initial members. The group can still be created when some named people cannot be added. The result lists those people and the reason, such as an unknown name or friends-only messaging. Check that result before assuming everyone received access.

Manage the people#

Inside a group chat, expand People to see its members. The owner has Add a person and remove controls for other members. An ordinary member can read the list and choose Leave group.

Leaving ends your membership; closing the tab only closes that view. If the owner leaves, ownership passes to the member who has been there longest. If you want a group to keep going, consider who remains before leaving.

A private group chat is separate from the group attached to a node. Adding someone to one does not add them to the other.

Mentions and problems#

Type @username in chat to mention a person. A mention can notify them even when they are elsewhere, provided they can read that conversation. It does not give a non-member access to a private group or direct message. Unknown names remain ordinary text, and mentioning yourself does not notify you.

Use Report this message on someone else's line to report the message. Use Report in their name menu to report the person. A block and a report have different effects; you can use either as needed.