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Why do people call it DM? (lemmy.rollenspiel.monster)

submitted 1 year ago by 0x4E4F@lemmy.rollenspiel.monster to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I mean... I come from the forum scene and they were always called PMs, as in Private Message. What in the hell does DM stand for and when did things change from people calling them PMs to DMs.

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[–] somedaysoon@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You don't understand what he is saying.

When I speak in front of an audience, I'm speaking publicly. When I take someone into a private room, I'm speaking privately. Whether or not that room is wiretapped doesn't change the verbiage.

[–] 0x4E4F@lemmy.rollenspiel.monster 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

And it doesn't change the fact that only you, the other person and the wiretapper know about that conversation ever happening... well also whoever they might have shared that with as well, but that's still not public as in someone reading this comment. Everyone can read and confirm that this is what I wrote.

[–] tomich@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I agree partly with you but...

If the wiretapper releases that conversation and it appears on every TV in the World then it is public and the first thing you are going to say is "but that was a private conversation in a private room and was not meant to be public". There is expectation of privacy. There is none in a DM. It is a direct message/contact between you, other person and potentially 99999 auditors, and the rest of the world. This is by design, not an exceptional situation.

[–] 0x4E4F@lemmy.rollenspiel.monster 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, perhaps you're right... maybe we should just drop the whole PM thing, cuz it makes less sense that calling them DMs.