What does 'DM' stand for on social media platforms?

On social media platforms, DM stands for direct message, a private message sent to one person or a selected group.

A DM differs from a public post, comment, or reply because it is intended to be visible only to the participants in the conversation. Depending on the platform, users can send text, images, videos, links, voice messages, and other media through DMs. Some services place messages from non-followers into a request or pending folder until the recipient accepts them.

The term “direct message” became especially associated with Twitter, where it described private communication alongside public posts. The wording later spread to platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Instagram introduced Instagram Direct in December 2013, helping make “DM” a familiar everyday term across social media.

A common mix-up is “PM,” or private message. In many contexts, PM and DM mean essentially the same thing, but “DM” is the usual term on major social platforms. “Dungeon master” is another valid meaning in Dungeons & Dragons, but not in this social-media context.