How do I control who sends me Instant Messages?

The Privacy and Security settings for Instant Messages (IMs) allow you to choose the buddies from whom you want to receive IMs. You can either allow every one who has an AOL or AIM Username to send you IMs or block everyone from sending you IMs. You also have the option to list out the screen names from whom you don't want to receive IMs.

To choose who can send you IMs
1. Go to AOL Keyword: Privacy Settings. Please note that this keyword can be accessed only within the AOL software. However, the Keyword feature is not available in AOL Desktop v10.1.

2. Under Choose your Privacy settings, select from the options given below:

• Allow ALL: Allows anyone using the AOL or AIM service to send you an IM.
• Allow only People on my Buddy List: Allows only the people whom you have added to your Buddy List to send you an IM or receive an IM from you.
• Allow only these users: Allows only the screen names listed here to send you IMs or receive IMs from you. Click the only these users link to add the buddies with whom you want to have IM conversations.
• Block only these users: Blocks the screen names listed here from sending you IMs. Click the only these users link to add the people with whom you don't want to have IM conversations.
• Block non-AOL users: Blocks only users of the AIM service.
• Block ALL: Blocks all IMs.

3. If you have chosen any of the Allow options, skip to the next step. If you have chosen any of the Block options, select the option that you prefer from the ones listed under People I've blocked in the above settings:

• Cannot view me on their Buddy List window: The people whom you have blocked, will not see your screen name in their Buddy List but can still send you IMs.
• Cannot view me on their Buddy List, IM me, or send me AOL Instant Greetings messages: Those users whom you have blocked will not be able to use any of these features to contact you.

Note: AOL Instant Greetings is no longer available.

4. Click Save to record the changes and close the window.

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