Mentions

Mentions refer to the practice of referencing or notifying another user within a message by including their identifier, typically a username or handle. When a mention occurs, most platforms generate a notification for the mentioned user and may link to the user’s profile or content.

In social media and messenger apps, mentions are usually created by typing an at symbol followed by the person’s handle, for example @alice. Some platforms also support direct linking to profiles, group mentions, and privacy settings that determine who can be mentioned and where.

Mentions serve several purposes: drawing a person’s attention to a message, attributing content to someone, coordinating collaboration on projects, or inviting participation in a discussion. The practice is distinct from tagging a post; a tag associates content with a user but may not always trigger a direct notification, depending on platform rules.

Mentions appear in posts, comments, replies, chat messages, and collaborative documents. Good etiquette includes using the correct handle, avoiding over-mentioning, and respecting user preferences or privacy settings, such as restricting mentions to followers or approved users.

Platform-specific controls allow users to mute mentions, limit who can mention them, or review mention activity. Mentions also enable engagement analytics and content moderation, helping platforms track conversations and identify abusive or spammy behavior.

In other contexts, mentions can refer more broadly to references in texts or media, indicating how often a work is cited or discussed, though this usage is separate from social mentions.