Lemmy @lemmy.ml Boomkop3 @reddthat.com 3 mo. ago

Received dm's can't be deleted? Dm's can't be closed?

This should be a pretty basic feature, just not having a private message be there anymore. But for some reason that does not work here?

I tried searching for this. I found a year old open issue on GitHub and some reddit users complaining about this very issue.

Talking with some people in the comments here, it seems like some people don't understand that one might not want a message to be in their face. Or the idea that just because something could be recovered doesn't mean we should treat it as an absolute

22 comments

You can mark them read, at which point they won't appear with the default "unread" filter on.

If they're offensive, you can block the user, which will make them disappear completely until you deliberately unblock them.
Lemmy is FOSS and still alpha software. The raw truth is either you ask nicely and hopes someone implements what you're asking or code it yourself.
- I didn't even think of that. I'd have to find the time but I could make that feature for myself.
  
  Thank you!
In my understanding, deleting (and moderation) are pretty much unsolved mysteries on this platform.

For example, last I heard, an administrator has to drop into a command line to delete media from removed posts, otherwise they'd still be accessible if the URL was known. (Think illegal material.)

Filtering is similarly done at the client end, so that's fun.

Note that I'm not associated with the source code, only as a user and am repeating things I've observed, read, or have been told. YMMV.
- For example, last I heard, an administrator has to drop into a command line to delete media from removed posts, otherwise they’d still be accessible if the URL was known. (Think illegal material.)
  
  that's not true anymore, there's a dashboard built into the website now
  
  That's good to hear.
- Perhaps it's worth joining an EU instance in case this creeps me out too much. I'd like to be able to use my right to be forgotten
  
  Good luck with that. Once the post federates out, the host instance can request for deletion, but any federated instances that receives the content doesn’t necessarily have to follow that request. They could easily modify their instance to not delete, they may reactivate the content from moderation log, they might have backup strategies that involves retaining data (for their own local legal reasons), etc etc.
  
  It’s probably best to assume any content that you post on Lemmy are out of your control and will live for much longer than you’d expect.
  
  This is not limited to just Lemmy but any federated systems. So regardless centralized corporation behind the service, or an open federated system; one way or another, whatever you post out there, its no longer yours to control.
- oh wow, this platform really is not well put together. Let's hope that with the attention it's getting there might be some investment in better planning of the features on here
  
  tbf, I'd still rather be here than reddit
  
  When you send an email to someone, how can you delete it once they have it?
  
  It's a similar issue here.
  
  this platform really is not well put together
  
  investment in better planning
  
  Do people not realise that a software application does not just pop into existence with every conceivable feature implemented on day one?
  
  Each dev only has so much effort they can put in, and being volunteers they have every right to prioritise working on whatever parts they care about most.

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