[
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "On%20Mastodon%2C%20I%20know%20that%20your%20instance%20often%20has%20a%20limit%20of%20500%20characters%2C%20although%20some%20have%20more.%20How%20long%20is%20a%20direct%20message%2C%20though%3F%20I%20thought%20it%20had%20an%20established%20longer%20limit."
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "The direct message (\u201cDM\u201d) feature on Mastodon is a bit different than on centralized platforms like Twitter or Slack. It isn\u2019t a separate system with its own higher character limit\u2014it\u2019s just a status (or \u201cpost\u201d) whose visibility is restricted to only those mentioned in it (*Mentioned people only*). ([mastodon.help](https://mastodon.help/en?utm_source=openai))\n\nHere\u2019s how it works in detail:\n\n---\n\n### \ud83e\uddd0 What counts as a DM on Mastodon\n\n- A \u201cdirect message\u201d is just a regular status marked with *direct visibility* (also called *Mentioned people only*). That means only the user(s) explicitly mentioned will see it. ([nerdschalk.com](https://nerdschalk.com/how-to-send-direct-messages-on-mastodon-private-message-dm/?utm_source=openai))  \n- Under the hood, this is implemented using ActivityPub\u2019s visibility/addressing (\u201cto/cc\u201d) system. The content is a `Note` with recipients specified and mention tags for each. ([eliteai.tools](https://eliteai.tools/agent-skills/kb-mastodon?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\udd22 How many characters can a DM have?\n\n- By default, the character limit for statuses\u2014including direct messages\u2014is **500 characters** on most Mastodon instances. ([docs-p.joinmastodon.org](https://docs-p.joinmastodon.org/user/posting/?utm_source=openai))  \n- This 500-character limit applies same to public posts, private posts, and direct messages when composed through Mastodon\u2019s standard tools. There is no separate, larger limit for \u201cmessages vs. posts.\u201d ([docs-p.joinmastodon.org](https://docs-p.joinmastodon.org/user/posting/?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n### \u2699\ufe0f Instance configurations and exceptions\n\nMastodon is **federated**\u2014every server (instance) can configure limits independently. So:\n\n- Some instances **allow longer limits**\u20141000, 5000 characters, or more. ([statuz.app](https://statuz.app/features/mastodon-character-limits-instance?utm_source=openai))  \n- \u201cMentioned people only\u201d visibility (direct messages) still uses whatever limit that instance has configured. If your instance has a higher post limit, then your DM limit is also higher. ([docs.publora.com](https://docs.publora.com/platforms/mastodon?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\udd12 Additional notes\n\n- Mastodon\u2019s direct messages **aren\u2019t end-to-end encrypted**. Admins on both your instance and the recipient\u2019s instance *can* access the content. So messages are \u201cprivate\u201d visibility-wise, but not encrypted like Signal, etc. ([docs-p.joinmastodon.org](https://docs-p.joinmastodon.org/user/posting/?utm_source=openai))  \n- Links count toward character limits: they occupy a fixed number (about 23 characters), no matter how long the real URL is. ([wordcountr.app](https://wordcountr.app/blog/mastodon-character-limit?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\nIf you tell me your specific Mastodon instance (or which one you use), I can check what its actual current character limit is\u2014some are higher than the default."
    }
]