Direct message

A direct message (DM) is a private conversation between members that does not appear in public boards or threads. DMs are useful for coordination, sensitive topics or anything that does not belong in a permanent public record.

How direct messages work in Forumera

Direct messages live in a separate messages inbox, not in the main board structure. Each DM conversation:

• Has a set of participants (two or more members).
• Contains a sequence of messages, similar to posts in a thread.
• Can generate notifications when new messages arrive.

From the UI, members typically access DMs via a “Messages” or “Inbox” link, and each conversation appears as a row with a subject and unread state.

When to use DMs vs threads

DMs are a good fit when:

• You need to exchange contact or personal details that should not be public.
• You are coordinating logistics for a small group (for example scheduling a call).
• You want to give feedback to a person privately instead of in front of everyone.

Public threads are better when:

• The answer might be useful to other members in the future.
• You want feedback from the group, not just one person.
• Transparency matters (for example decisions, policies, or support that benefits others).

As a rule of thumb, if a question or answer could help more than two people, it probably belongs in a thread, not a DM.

Safety and moderation

Because DMs are private, abuse can feel heavier there. Good forums combine DM features with:

• Easy report flows for inappropriate messages.
• Clear rules about what is acceptable to send in private.
• Options to block or mute members who misuse DMs.

Admins may also choose to restrict who can initiate DMs (for example only between members who follow each other, or only from staff to members).

Related terms

• Conversation – the full history of DMs between a group of participants.
• Notification – alerts that tell you when you have new DMs.
• Thread – a public or semi‑public discussion in a board, as opposed to a private DM.