---
title: Find Members, Follow Classmates, and Start a Direct Message
description: Search a community directory, filter by role or activity, view profiles, follow classmates, and control private messaging.
audience:
  - member
product_area: community
topics:
  - Members
  - Following
  - Messages
synonyms:
  - student
  - learner
  - member
  - directory
  - direct message
  - DM
routes:
  - /groups/:groupId/members
  - /member/:memberId
  - /chat/:conversationId
related_articles:
  - students/community-participation
  - students/search-within-a-community
  - students/review-messages-and-ai-conversations
  - students/notifications-chat-language-and-theme
  - students/profile-account-and-security
status: published
---

Choose **Members** in a community to open its directory.

![The current member-directory header, totals, role filters, search, and activity sorting, cropped before any member identity.](/help/images/students/member-directory.jpg)

## Find the right person

- Search by the name or profile information the member has made visible.
- Use **All**, **Owners**, **Admins**, or **Members** to filter by role.
- Sort by **Recent activity**, **Top points**, or **Top posters**.
- Open **View Profile** to review the public information and communities that person allows others to see.
- Choose **Follow** when available to make their activity easier to find.
- Choose **Message** to start a private thread when both accounts and the community allow messaging.

## Control who can message you

Open **Settings → Notifications → Chat**. You can control chat sounds, offline email alerts, and which communities may send you private messages. Turning chat off for one community does not remove your membership.

Use **Settings → Privacy** to review blocked users. Blocking prevents direct contact and can limit activity visibility on supported surfaces. Report harassment, impersonation, or unsafe behavior to the community admin in addition to blocking the account.

Direct messages are private to their participants, but you should still avoid sending passwords, payment details, authentication codes, or another person's private information.

## Legal

- [Privacy](/privacy)
- [Terms](/terms)
- [Data rights and deletion](/data-deletion)