<p>If you want to send a message to someone on Instagram, you really have no choice but to do it publicly unless you download a third party app, like InstaMessage, which lets you send private messages to Instagram users. But it only works provided your friends also download InstaMessage. And if you want to private message someone on Vine, well, you can't. Anything you say in the looped video app is for public consumption. On the flip side, Snapchat is all about the private messages but that's it. There's no public feed (save for the shame-blogs collecting embarrassing or scandalous sent-in Snaps).</p><p>Private messaging is a feature that many social networks with public components are moving away from, or prioritizing less. You can see that in Facebook's haphazard approach to its "other" folder and how Zuckerberg and company are putting a premium on encouraging users to make their status updates and other interactions public. And even though Twitter finally got around to syncing direct messages across devices, it's still not a very prominent feature.</p><p>Should private messaging be returned to its rightful place in the social networking game? Or as it becomes more apparent that privacy on social networks is a flimsy concept, should they be shuttled into obscurity? It depends what you want to gain and what you're OK sacrificing.Pros of privacy</p><p>There are some things you don't want to send publicly. If you want to practice your Twitter flirt game, it's embarrassing to make innuendos when you know your crushes' friends can see the conversation. Having the DM option is nice. And the fact that Facebook messages exist makes it easy to send your main boo a gushy note or two throughout the day without subjecting the world to gross wall posts. Which brings me to my next point</p><p><a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/the-pros-and-cons-of-private-messages/">Keep reading...</a></p>