direct messages
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Substack has direct messages now
Substack has added a highly requested feature: direct messages.
Twitter is limiting the number of DMs unverified users can send
Twitter has again made its platform a little less usable for people who choose not to pay for a Blue subscription.
Twitter seems to be working on end-to-end encryption for DMs again
Datamined code in Twitter's Android app indicates end-to-end encryption is on the way to protect direct messages from prying eyes.
Instagram's new anti-abuse features include DM 'kindness reminders'
Instagram is expanding its abuse tools to include, among other things, 'kindness reminders' when you DM others.
Instagram is working on 'nudity protection' technology for messages
Unsolicited nude photos are one of the biggest harassment issues on social media, but Instagram is working on a tool to protect users.
Instagram now lets you shop in chat
You can now shop on Instagram using chats.
Twitter buys a chat app to boost DMs and community features
Twitter has bought the chat app Sphere to bolster its DMs — including some high-profile talent.
Twitter's latest round of updates are about to hit your DMs
Twitter is introducing several improvements to direct messages the company says it plans to roll out in the coming weeks.
Twitter finally brings DM search to Android
Nearly two years after introducing a search feature to DMs on iOS and the web, Twitter is finally bringing the update to Android.
Slack tweaks its new DM feature after people call out its harassment potential
The company is now disabling the option to send someone a message with an invite to chat after several individuals how easy it was to abuse that functionality.
Slack Connect now lets you DM people outside your work bubble
Slack has unveiled a Connect feature that lets you DM virtually anyone, even if they're outside your company — helpful in the work-from-home era.
Twitter's new DM feature puts a chat box in the browser
Twitter may look different the next time you visit its website on a PC. The social network has started rolling out a docked Direct Messaging box that sits right on top of your timeline, similar to Facebook’s or LinkedIn’s. It makes communicating via Twitter’s DMs feel more like typing into an instant messaging chatbox and eliminates the need to jump back and forth between your timeline and your private conversations. Based on a previous report by Jane Manchun Wong, who’s known for excavating apps to look for hidden features, Twitter has been testing the feature since April at the very least.
Instagram starts rolling out web DMs to everyone
After Instagram made the feature available to a small number of users at the start of the year, it's now rolling out to everyone.
Instagram offers access to DMs on the web
Instagram on the web has long played second fiddle to the mobile apps (look at how long it took to get notifications), but that gap is about to narrow considerably. The social network is rolling out direct messages on the web to a "small percentage" of users worldwide as part of a public test following internal experiments in 2019. Much like on your phone, you can participate in regular and group chats, share photos, 'like' messages and receive notifications. More news on a possible wider release is coming in the future, Instagram told The Verge.
Instagram now asks new users for their age
Instagram is getting more serious about curbing underage use. As of December 4th, the social network will start asking for your date of birth when you sign up.
Instagram’s Threads is compelling, but kind of creepy
Look, I'm not one to constantly post selfies. I'd rather just take pictures of random buildings or my sneakers. But, when I do take a selfie, it's mostly just so I can share a goofy face with my family or best friends. I've mentioned this before in previous stories about Facebook, Instagram has become one of my main messaging apps -- right up there with iMessage and WhatsApp. That's why the idea of Instagram's new Threads app, which is designed specifically for private messages between you and your closest friends, sounds so intriguing.
Instagram's Threads is a camera app for sharing with your closest friends
If you want to get a glimpse of Mark Zuckerberg's "privacy-focused" vision for Facebook, then look no further than Instagram's new social app: Threads. This new standalone, camera-first messaging app is an extension of Instagram's Close Friends feature on Stories, which lets you share pictures, videos and more only with groups of people you've carefully selected. As the Facebook CEO has said in recent months, his plan is to take Facebook into an era of "simple, intimate places," where individuals can have a dedicated space for private interactions on its family of apps. And with Threads from Instagram, which launches today on iOS and Android, the company is taking a step in that direction.
Twitter's DM search is available for all iOS users
Twitter is continuing its streak of releasing features it teased in August. The internet giant is rolling out its previously-tested direct message search to iOS users. You only have to type in a search box to recall the restaurant you were supposed to visit. Keywords apply to user names, informal names and the content of messages, so it should be easy to narrow DMs to those from a close friend.
Twitter rolls out filter for potentially offensive DMs
Twitter is quickly acting on plans to filter potentially offensive direct messages. It's rolling out the filter to all users on Android, iOS and the web. As during the test, there isn't much mystery to how this works. If a message contains questionable language or is likely spam, it'll be tucked away in an "additional messages" folder. You'll only see the colorful language if you explicitly tap on a message in that folder. You won't have to put up with DM harassers if you'd rather just carry on with your day.
Twitter starts testing DM searches
It didn't take long for Twitter to make direct message searches a practical reality after teasing them -- though you'll need a little luck to give them a try. The social network has begun testing a DM search bar in its iOS app and the web. It'll only sift through your "most recent" DMs, but that might be enough if you're trying to remember where you agreed to meet for a night out.
