PM meaning in Messaging ?

A private message, personal message, or direct message (abbreviated as PM or DM) is a private communication channel between users on any given platform. Unlike public posts, PMs are only viewable by the participants. Though long a function present on IRC and Internet forums, they have recently grown in popularity due to the increasing demand for privacy and collaboration on social media.

There are two main types of private messages. First, on IRC and Internet forums, as well as on social media apps like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, where the focus is public posting, PMs allow users to communicate privately without leaving the platform. Second, on instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Kik, and Snapchat, users create accounts primarily to exchange PMs. A third type, peer-to-peer messaging, occurs when users create and own the infrastructure used to transmit and store the messages; while features vary depending on application, they give the user full control over the data they transmit. An example of software that enables this kind of messaging is Classified-ads.

Besides serving as a tool to connect privately with friends and family, PMs have gained momentum in the workplace. Working professionals use PMs to reach coworkers in other spaces and increase efficiency during meetings. Although useful, using PMs in the workplace may blur the boundary between work and private lives.