lastseen

Last seen is a status indicator used by many messaging and social platforms to show the most recent time a user was active or observed by the service. Its meaning varies by platform: some display an exact timestamp, others use relative phrases like "just now" or "online recently." In some apps last-seen is visible to contacts, while some allow users to hide their own status or limit who can view it.

The feature helps manage expectations about availability and reply times, but it raises privacy concerns. Users often adjust privacy settings to control visibility, and some environments treat last-seen information differently for customers or employees.

Technically, last seen is derived from user activity logs and stored in a status service. When a user interacts with the app—such as sending a message or opening the app—the timestamp updates and is shown to others according to platform policy. Data handling policies determine retention and visibility, including defaults and opt-outs.

Related concepts include online status, typing indicators, and read receipts. Availability and precision of last-seen information vary across services and jurisdictions, reflecting broader privacy, security, and user-experience considerations.