Direct messages
Direct messages are messages that are addressed to one or more individual connections. They are accessible via the network stream. A filter for direct messages has been added to the stream filter widget for quick access.
If you want to send a direct message to one (or more) other users (direct messages can only be read by the recipients and the sender), you write a normal post and address it exclusively to the recipient(s) using a special mention. This is done with the private mention (privacy tag). A privacy tag is a name that is preceded by the two characters @! and which, in addition to marking these channels, also changes the data protection authorisations of the post so that only these are taken into account.
You do not need to use a privacy tag to reply to a DN ‘privately’, i.e. as a DN. You simply reply directly to the incoming DN, which distributes the reply to all original recipients.
As an alternative to the privacy tag, you can also select channels or privacy groups from the privacy tool (🔒). This is the more complicated way, but it also works. However, the use of a privacy tag overwrites any selection made in the privacy tool. So if you write a post that is to be sent as a direct message, you can omit the privacy tag and instead click on the padlock symbol next to the ‘Share’ button to access the authorisation settings.