they arent, use matrix for encrypted comms
Good question
It depends. On facebook messenger? Not private at all. On signal? As private as it gets
Were you thinking about some service in particular?
Yeah, I mean on lemmy.
Wait, we have DMs here on lemmy?
Not private - https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/18079
When it says that 'the instance admin' can read anything, remember that federation means anyone can be admin of their instance
05:00 of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-jYZLs2j1Q to hear a security expert talk about fediverse IM privacy (and fed in general)
They are saved in plaintext in the database but cannot be accessed by mods or admins unless reported (or having database access). For private communication you should use something like Matrix.
Admins almost certainty have database access.
Not if we speak about admins in the context of Lemmy instances. I, for example, am admin at feddit.de. Yet only the owner has access to the VPS running the software and I am stuck with the options the Lemmy UI (or API) gives me.
