Like how private are they?
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.
Signal FTW!
closed platform, use matrix or something where you control the line.
I thought it was open source, no?
my bad, yes you can run your own. most just signup for what others are running.
I know there is a open source fork called molly.
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.
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?
I use SimpleX for all private communications. Best secure messenger out there, imho.
