February 13, 2026
Direct Messages; a private form of digital communication.

To "slide into the DMs" means to send a private message to someone, often with a romantic or flirtatious intent. DMs are the private side of public social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok. For teenagers, the DMs are where the real conversations happen away from the "likes" and public comments. It is their modern equivalent of a private phone call or a passed note in class.
We've compiled this dictionary of common teen slang to help parents communicate with their kids. SafetyMode is the world's most advanced parental safety app for phones, making any Android phone safe for kids. You can find out more and download the app just here.





“I felt that the safety features were really suitable for me to be able to support my child whilst using the phone. It was good that I was able to manage these.”
Jane – Mum of 11 year old
“He couldn't access restricted material and it wasn't even coming up for him due to the settings. It gave me a peace of mind as I can't police him all the time with the phone.”
Tom – Dad of 13 year old