How do I control who can message me on Facebook?

You control who can see you on chat, who can message you on Facebook, and who can send you email.

Who sees you on chat
By default, all your friends can see you on chat. If you only want to chat with a few select friends, simply:

1. Click the icon at the bottom of the chat sidebar and select Advanced Settings...
2. Choose friends (or lists of friends) you want to be available to on chat

You can also go offline to someone while you're chatting with them. At the top of your chat window, click the icon and select Go Offline to X. Learn more about advanced chat settings.

Who can send you Facebook messages and email
By default, anyone on Facebook can send you a message, and anyone outside of Facebook can email you at your "username@facebook.com." Messages and email all go to your Facebook Messages.

To edit who can message you, simply:

1. Click the account menu at the top right of any Facebook page and choose Privacy Settings.
2. Next to the How You Connect heading, click Edit Settings.
3. Select your preference from the dropdown menu next to Who can send you Facebook messages?

Note: Changes to the "Who can message me" privacy setting may take up to 24 hours to take effect.

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