diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/channel/tests/DMPrivacyBidirectional.test.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/channel/tests/DMPrivacyBidirectional.test.ts
index e958046b4..b91dbb6e0 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/channel/tests/DMPrivacyBidirectional.test.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/channel/tests/DMPrivacyBidirectional.test.ts
@@ -101,12 +101,11 @@ describe('DM Privacy Bidirectional Enforcement', () => {
 				.expect(HTTP_STATUS.OK)
 				.execute();
 		});
-		it('blocks message from a non-friend guild member to a new account by default', async () => {
+		it('allows message from a non-friend guild member to a new account by default', async () => {
 			const sender = await createTestAccount(harness);
 			const target = await createTestAccount(harness);
 			await ensureSessionStarted(harness, sender.token);
 			await ensureSessionStarted(harness, target.token);
-			await updateUserSettings(harness, sender.token, {default_guilds_restricted: false});
 			await createFriendship(harness, sender, target);
 			const guild = await createGuild(harness, sender.token, 'Default Community');
 			const systemChannel = await getChannel(harness, sender.token, guild.system_channel_id!);
@@ -116,8 +115,8 @@ describe('DM Privacy Bidirectional Enforcement', () => {
 			await removeRelationship(harness, sender.token, target.userId);
 			await createBuilder(harness, sender.token)
 				.post(`/channels/${channel.id}/messages`)
-				.body({content: 'default restricted target'})
-				.expect(HTTP_STATUS.BAD_REQUEST, 'CANNOT_SEND_MESSAGES_TO_USER')
+				.body({content: 'default open target'})
+				.expect(HTTP_STATUS.OK)
 				.execute();
 		});
 		it('blocks message when sender restricts the only mutual guild', async () => {
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/database/types/UserTypes.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/database/types/UserTypes.ts
index 2a0e89569..6886afa6d 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/database/types/UserTypes.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/database/types/UserTypes.ts
@@ -274,6 +274,8 @@ export interface UserSettingsRow {
 	synced_preferences: Nullish<string>;
 	profile_privacy: Nullish<number>;
 	default_share_voice_activity: Nullish<boolean>;
+	privacy_setup_version: Nullish<number>;
+	privacy_setup_completed_at: Nullish<Date>;
 	version: number;
 }
 
@@ -513,6 +515,8 @@ export const USER_SETTINGS_COLUMNS = [
 	'synced_preferences',
 	'profile_privacy',
 	'default_share_voice_activity',
+	'privacy_setup_version',
+	'privacy_setup_completed_at',
 	'version',
 ] as const satisfies ReadonlyArray<keyof UserSettingsRow>;
 export const USER_GUILD_SETTINGS_COLUMNS = [
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/models/UserSettings.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/models/UserSettings.ts
index e22811423..14f2d9a2d 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/models/UserSettings.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/models/UserSettings.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ export class UserSettings {
 	readonly syncedPreferences: string;
 	readonly profilePrivacy: ProfilePrivacyLevel;
 	readonly defaultShareVoiceActivity: boolean;
+	readonly privacySetupVersion: number;
+	readonly privacySetupCompletedAt: Date | null;
 	readonly version: number;
 
 	constructor(row: UserSettingsRow) {
@@ -115,6 +117,8 @@ export class UserSettings {
 		this.syncedPreferences = normalizeStoredSyncedPreferences(row.synced_preferences);
 		this.profilePrivacy = (row.profile_privacy ?? ProfilePrivacyLevels.ALL_GUILDS) as ProfilePrivacyLevel;
 		this.defaultShareVoiceActivity = row.default_share_voice_activity ?? true;
+		this.privacySetupVersion = row.privacy_setup_version ?? 0;
+		this.privacySetupCompletedAt = row.privacy_setup_completed_at ?? null;
 		this.version = row.version;
 	}
 
@@ -171,6 +175,8 @@ export class UserSettings {
 			synced_preferences: this.syncedPreferences === '' ? null : this.syncedPreferences,
 			profile_privacy: this.profilePrivacy,
 			default_share_voice_activity: this.defaultShareVoiceActivity,
+			privacy_setup_version: this.privacySetupVersion,
+			privacy_setup_completed_at: this.privacySetupCompletedAt,
 			version: this.version,
 		};
 	}
@@ -216,7 +222,7 @@ export class UserSettings {
 			friend_source_flags: friendSourceFlags,
 			incoming_call_flags: IncomingCallFlags.FRIENDS_ONLY,
 			group_dm_add_permission_flags: GroupDmAddPermissionFlags.FRIENDS_ONLY,
-			default_guilds_restricted: true,
+			default_guilds_restricted: false,
 			bot_default_guilds_restricted: false,
 			restricted_guilds: new Set(),
 			bot_restricted_guilds: new Set(),
@@ -244,6 +250,8 @@ export class UserSettings {
 			synced_preferences: null,
 			profile_privacy: ProfilePrivacyLevels.ALL_GUILDS,
 			default_share_voice_activity: true,
+			privacy_setup_version: 0,
+			privacy_setup_completed_at: null,
 			version: 1,
 		};
 	}
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/openapi/openapi.json b/fluxer_api/src/api/openapi/openapi.json
index 23ca0cd6c..5594f1911 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/openapi/openapi.json
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/openapi/openapi.json
@@ -24983,6 +24983,12 @@
 						"type": "boolean",
 						"description": "Default share_voice_activity applied to new friend relationships"
 					},
+					"privacy_setup_version": {
+						"type": "integer",
+						"minimum": 1,
+						"maximum": 1000,
+						"description": "Version of the privacy setup the user just reviewed. The server also records privacy_setup_completed_at as the current time."
+					},
 					"synced_preferences": {
 						"description": "Account-wide client preferences as a base64-encoded protobuf snapshot. Replaces the entire stored snapshot; pass null to clear it.",
 						"anyOf": [{"type": "string", "maxLength": 699052}, {"type": "null"}]
@@ -25136,6 +25142,23 @@
 					"default_share_voice_activity": {
 						"type": "boolean",
 						"description": "Default value of share_voice_activity applied to newly accepted friend relationships. Read-only here; mutated via PUT /users/@me/settings/voice-activity-sharing."
+					},
+					"privacy_setup_version": {
+						"type": "integer",
+						"minimum": -9007199254740991,
+						"maximum": 9007199254740991,
+						"description": "Latest privacy setup version the user has reviewed, 0 if never reviewed"
+					},
+					"privacy_setup_completed_at": {
+						"anyOf": [
+							{
+								"type": "string",
+								"format": "date-time",
+								"pattern": "^(?:(?:\\d\\d[2468][048]|\\d\\d[13579][26]|\\d\\d0[48]|[02468][048]00|[13579][26]00)-02-29|\\d{4}-(?:(?:0[13578]|1[02])-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|3[01])|(?:0[469]|11)-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\\d|30)|(?:02)-(?:0[1-9]|1\\d|2[0-8])))T(?:(?:[01]\\d|2[0-3]):[0-5]\\d:[0-5]\\d(?:\\.\\d+)?(?:Z))$"
+							},
+							{"type": "null"}
+						],
+						"description": "When the user last completed the privacy setup, or null if never"
 					}
 				},
 				"required": [
@@ -25173,7 +25196,9 @@
 					"staff_dm_access_user_ids",
 					"synced_preferences",
 					"profile_privacy",
-					"default_share_voice_activity"
+					"default_share_voice_activity",
+					"privacy_setup_version",
+					"privacy_setup_completed_at"
 				],
 				"additionalProperties": false
 			},
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/user/UserMappers.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/user/UserMappers.ts
index ebd38d132..7933f8f79 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/user/UserMappers.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/user/UserMappers.ts
@@ -353,6 +353,8 @@ export function mapUserSettingsToResponse(params: {settings: UserSettings}): Use
 		synced_preferences: settings.syncedPreferences,
 		profile_privacy: settings.profilePrivacy,
 		default_share_voice_activity: settings.defaultShareVoiceActivity,
+		privacy_setup_version: settings.privacySetupVersion,
+		privacy_setup_completed_at: settings.privacySetupCompletedAt?.toISOString() ?? null,
 	};
 }
 
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/user/services/UserAccountSettingsService.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/user/services/UserAccountSettingsService.ts
index e926dbcfd..7172af81f 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/user/services/UserAccountSettingsService.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/user/services/UserAccountSettingsService.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,10 @@ export class UserAccountSettingsService {
 		if (data.bot_default_guilds_restricted !== undefined) {
 			updatedRowData.bot_default_guilds_restricted = data.bot_default_guilds_restricted;
 		}
+		if (data.privacy_setup_version !== undefined) {
+			updatedRowData.privacy_setup_version = data.privacy_setup_version;
+			updatedRowData.privacy_setup_completed_at = new Date();
+		}
 		if (data.inline_attachment_media !== undefined) {
 			updatedRowData.inline_attachment_media = data.inline_attachment_media;
 		}
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/user/tests/UserSettingsPrivacySetup.test.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/user/tests/UserSettingsPrivacySetup.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c6d5d01b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/user/tests/UserSettingsPrivacySetup.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+
+import {createTestAccount} from '@app/api/auth/tests/AuthTestUtils';
+import {type ApiTestHarness, createApiTestHarness} from '@app/api/test/ApiTestHarness';
+import {HTTP_STATUS} from '@app/api/test/TestConstants';
+import {createBuilder} from '@app/api/test/TestRequestBuilder';
+import {fetchUserSettings, updateUserSettings} from '@app/api/user/tests/UserTestUtils';
+import {beforeEach, describe, expect, test} from 'vitest';
+
+describe('User settings privacy setup', () => {
+	let harness: ApiTestHarness;
+	beforeEach(async () => {
+		harness = await createApiTestHarness();
+	});
+	test('new accounts allow community DMs and have not reviewed the privacy setup', async () => {
+		const account = await createTestAccount(harness);
+		const {json} = await fetchUserSettings(harness, account.token);
+		expect(json.default_guilds_restricted).toBe(false);
+		expect(json.privacy_setup_version).toBe(0);
+		expect(json.privacy_setup_completed_at).toBeNull();
+	});
+	test('completing the privacy setup stores the version, the time and the chosen setting in one update', async () => {
+		const account = await createTestAccount(harness);
+		const before = Date.now();
+		const {json} = await updateUserSettings(harness, account.token, {
+			default_guilds_restricted: true,
+			privacy_setup_version: 1,
+		});
+		expect(json.default_guilds_restricted).toBe(true);
+		expect(json.privacy_setup_version).toBe(1);
+		expect(Date.parse(json.privacy_setup_completed_at ?? '')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(before - 1000);
+		const {json: reread} = await fetchUserSettings(harness, account.token);
+		expect(reread.privacy_setup_version).toBe(1);
+		expect(reread.privacy_setup_completed_at).toBe(json.privacy_setup_completed_at);
+		await createBuilder(harness, account.token)
+			.patch('/users/@me/settings')
+			.body({privacy_setup_version: 0})
+			.expect(HTTP_STATUS.BAD_REQUEST)
+			.execute();
+	});
+});
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/worker/tasks/HarvestUserData.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/worker/tasks/HarvestUserData.ts
index 9e1f3129d..52da7ab6c 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/worker/tasks/HarvestUserData.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/worker/tasks/HarvestUserData.ts
@@ -569,6 +569,8 @@ export function buildUserDataJson(params: UserDataJsonParams) {
 					staff_dm_access_user_ids: Array.from(userSettings.staffDmAccessUserIds).map((id) => id.toString()),
 					synced_preferences: syncedPreferencesToJson(decodeSyncedPreferencesLenient(userSettings.syncedPreferences)),
 					profile_privacy: userSettings.profilePrivacy,
+					privacy_setup_version: userSettings.privacySetupVersion,
+					privacy_setup_completed_at: userSettings.privacySetupCompletedAt?.toISOString() ?? null,
 				}
 			: null,
 		guild_memberships: guildMemberships
diff --git a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users.mdx b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users.mdx
index 2dd79487f..e5731118c 100644
--- a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users.mdx
+++ b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users.mdx
@@ -294,6 +294,8 @@ The [user settings update object](/http-api/users/settings/#user-settings-update
 | synced_preferences<sup>6</sup> | string | The base64-encoded [synced preferences](/http-api/users/settings-protobuf/) message |
 | profile_privacy | integer | [Profile privacy level](#profile-privacy-levels) |
 | default_share_voice_activity<sup>7</sup> | boolean | Whether a newly accepted friend relationship starts with voice activity sharing on |
+| privacy_setup_version<sup>8</sup> | integer | The latest privacy setup version the account has reviewed, 0 if it never has |
+| privacy_setup_completed_at | ?ISO8601 timestamp | When the account last completed the privacy setup, or null if it never has |
 
 <sup>1</sup> Duplicate identifiers are removed when the array is written
 
@@ -309,6 +311,8 @@ The [user settings update object](/http-api/users/settings/#user-settings-update
 
 <sup>7</sup> The field is read-only here and is changed by [Modify voice activity sharing](/http-api/users/settings/#modify-voice-activity-sharing)
 
+<sup>8</sup> Fluxer only stores this number. The first-party client compares it with the privacy setup version it ships and asks the user to review their direct message settings while the stored number is lower
+
 ## Custom status object
 
 A custom status is the text and emoji stored on the account's [user settings](#user-settings-object).
diff --git a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users/settings.mdx b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users/settings.mdx
index 54be57ce7..9221c6c44 100644
--- a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users/settings.mdx
+++ b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/http-api/users/settings.mdx
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ Further members are accepted and ignored. `guild_positions` is an array of at mo
 | suppress_unprivileged_self_mentions_bypass_user_ids?<sup>12</sup> | ?array[snowflake] | The users exempt from mention suppression |
 | staff_dm_access_user_ids?<sup>12</sup> | ?array[snowflake] | The users granted staff direct message access |
 | profile_privacy? | integer | [Profile privacy level](/http-api/users/#profile-privacy-levels) |
+| privacy_setup_version?<sup>14</sup> | integer | The privacy setup version the user just reviewed (1-1000) |
 | synced_preferences?<sup>13</sup> | ?string | The base64-encoded `fluxer.user.preferences.v1.SyncedPreferences` snapshot, or null to clear it |
 
 <sup>1</sup> A string matches ISO 8601 and an integer is Unix milliseconds between 0 and 8640000000000000. Anything else is rejected with `INVALID_ISO_TIMESTAMP`
@@ -256,6 +257,8 @@ Further members are accepted and ignored. `guild_positions` is an array of at mo
 
 <sup>13</sup> The value runs to at most 699052 characters of base64 and decodes to at most 524288 bytes, the 512 KiB ceiling. A longer string returns 400 `INVALID_FORM_BODY`, an oversized decode fails with `TOO_LARGE`, and an undecodable value fails with `INVALID_FORMAT`
 
+<sup>14</sup> Fluxer stores the value as given and sets `privacy_setup_completed_at` to the time of the update
+
 Fluxer decodes an accepted `synced_preferences` value, re-encodes it canonically, and stores the result, so a snapshot with only zero values is stored as cleared and read back as the empty string.
 
 :::caution[A rebuilt folder layout drops unresolved references]
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserRequestSchemas.ts b/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserRequestSchemas.ts
index ba02dc06e..dacdbbb1d 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserRequestSchemas.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserRequestSchemas.ts
@@ -394,6 +394,14 @@ export const UserSettingsUpdateRequest = z
 		default_share_voice_activity: z
 			.boolean()
 			.describe('Default share_voice_activity applied to new friend relationships'),
+		privacy_setup_version: z
+			.number()
+			.int()
+			.min(1)
+			.max(1000)
+			.describe(
+				'Version of the privacy setup the user just reviewed. The server also records privacy_setup_completed_at as the current time.',
+			),
 		synced_preferences: z
 			.string()
 			.max(SYNCED_PREFERENCES_MAX_ENCODED_LENGTH)
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserResponseSchemas.ts b/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserResponseSchemas.ts
index 15285db31..affa05563 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserResponseSchemas.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/domains/user/UserResponseSchemas.ts
@@ -375,6 +375,14 @@ export const UserSettingsResponse = z.object({
 		.describe(
 			'Default value of share_voice_activity applied to newly accepted friend relationships. Read-only here; mutated via PUT /users/@me/settings/voice-activity-sharing.',
 		),
+	privacy_setup_version: z
+		.number()
+		.int()
+		.describe('Latest privacy setup version the user has reviewed, 0 if never reviewed'),
+	privacy_setup_completed_at: z.iso
+		.datetime()
+		.nullable()
+		.describe('When the user last completed the privacy setup, or null if never'),
 });
 
 export type UserSettingsResponse = z.infer<typeof UserSettingsResponse>;
diff --git a/tools/dev/cassandra_target_schema.json b/tools/dev/cassandra_target_schema.json
index ea939fad8..e9a496160 100644
--- a/tools/dev/cassandra_target_schema.json
+++ b/tools/dev/cassandra_target_schema.json
@@ -8356,6 +8356,14 @@
 				{
 					"name": "default_share_voice_activity",
 					"type": "boolean"
+				},
+				{
+					"name": "privacy_setup_version",
+					"type": "int"
+				},
+				{
+					"name": "privacy_setup_completed_at",
+					"type": "timestamp"
 				}
 			],
 			"primary_key": "((user_id))",