diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/components/status_action_bar.jsx b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/components/status_action_bar.jsx
index 71efc2a0d..7652eb11d 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/components/status_action_bar.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/components/status_action_bar.jsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
   delete: { id: 'status.delete', defaultMessage: 'Delete' },
   redraft: { id: 'status.redraft', defaultMessage: 'Delete & re-draft' },
   edit: { id: 'status.edit', defaultMessage: 'Edit' },
-  direct: { id: 'status.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct message @{name}' },
+  direct: { id: 'status.direct', defaultMessage: 'Privately mention @{name}' },
   mention: { id: 'status.mention', defaultMessage: 'Mention @{name}' },
   mute: { id: 'account.mute', defaultMessage: 'Mute @{name}' },
   block: { id: 'account.block', defaultMessage: 'Block @{name}' },
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/account/components/header.jsx b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/account/components/header.jsx
index ade1e5ef0..5d16dc44d 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/account/components/header.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/account/components/header.jsx
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
   linkVerifiedOn: { id: 'account.link_verified_on', defaultMessage: 'Ownership of this link was checked on {date}' },
   account_locked: { id: 'account.locked_info', defaultMessage: 'This account privacy status is set to locked. The owner manually reviews who can follow them.' },
   mention: { id: 'account.mention', defaultMessage: 'Mention @{name}' },
-  direct: { id: 'account.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct message @{name}' },
+  direct: { id: 'account.direct', defaultMessage: 'Privately mention @{name}' },
   unmute: { id: 'account.unmute', defaultMessage: 'Unmute @{name}' },
   block: { id: 'account.block', defaultMessage: 'Block @{name}' },
   mute: { id: 'account.mute', defaultMessage: 'Mute @{name}' },
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/direct_timeline/index.jsx b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/direct_timeline/index.jsx
index 315a5ee10..1be2d78b5 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/direct_timeline/index.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/direct_timeline/index.jsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import ColumnSettingsContainer from './containers/column_settings_container';
 import ConversationsListContainer from './containers/conversations_list_container';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
-  title: { id: 'column.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct messages' },
+  title: { id: 'column.direct', defaultMessage: 'Private mentions' },
 });
 
 const mapStateToProps = state => ({
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class DirectTimeline extends PureComponent {
           onLoadMore={this.handleLoadMore}
           prepend={<div className='follow_requests-unlocked_explanation'><span><FormattedMessage id='compose_form.encryption_warning' defaultMessage='Posts on Mastodon are not end-to-end encrypted. Do not share any dangerous information over Mastodon.' /> <a href='/terms' target='_blank'><FormattedMessage id='compose_form.direct_message_warning_learn_more' defaultMessage='Learn more' /></a></span></div>}
           alwaysPrepend
-          emptyMessage={<FormattedMessage id='empty_column.direct' defaultMessage="You don't have any direct messages yet. When you send or receive one, it will show up here." />}
+          emptyMessage={<FormattedMessage id='empty_column.direct' defaultMessage="You don't have any private mentions yet. When you send or receive one, it will show up here." />}
         />
       );
     } else {
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class DirectTimeline extends PureComponent {
           onLoadMore={this.handleLoadMoreTimeline}
           prepend={<div className='follow_requests-unlocked_explanation'><span><FormattedMessage id='compose_form.encryption_warning' defaultMessage='Posts on Mastodon are not end-to-end encrypted. Do not share any dangerous information over Mastodon.' /> <a href='/terms' target='_blank'><FormattedMessage id='compose_form.direct_message_warning_learn_more' defaultMessage='Learn more' /></a></span></div>}
           alwaysPrepend
-          emptyMessage={<FormattedMessage id='empty_column.direct' defaultMessage="You don't have any direct messages yet. When you send or receive one, it will show up here." />}
+          emptyMessage={<FormattedMessage id='empty_column.direct' defaultMessage="You don't have any private mentions yet. When you send or receive one, it will show up here." />}
         />
       );
     }
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/getting_started/index.jsx b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/getting_started/index.jsx
index 0f6f3330e..1b3aec552 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/getting_started/index.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/getting_started/index.jsx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
   settings_subheading: { id: 'column_subheading.settings', defaultMessage: 'Settings' },
   community_timeline: { id: 'navigation_bar.community_timeline', defaultMessage: 'Local timeline' },
   explore: { id: 'navigation_bar.explore', defaultMessage: 'Explore' },
-  direct: { id: 'navigation_bar.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct messages' },
+  direct: { id: 'navigation_bar.direct', defaultMessage: 'Private mentions' },
   bookmarks: { id: 'navigation_bar.bookmarks', defaultMessage: 'Bookmarks' },
   preferences: { id: 'navigation_bar.preferences', defaultMessage: 'Preferences' },
   settings: { id: 'navigation_bar.app_settings', defaultMessage: 'App settings' },
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/home_timeline/components/column_settings.jsx b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/home_timeline/components/column_settings.jsx
index 07d0447a8..52b3ad060 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/home_timeline/components/column_settings.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/home_timeline/components/column_settings.jsx
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class ColumnSettings extends PureComponent {
         </div>
 
         <div className='column-settings__row'>
-          <SettingToggle prefix='home_timeline' settings={settings} settingPath={['shows', 'direct']} onChange={onChange} label={<FormattedMessage id='home.column_settings.show_direct' defaultMessage='Show DMs' />} />
+          <SettingToggle prefix='home_timeline' settings={settings} settingPath={['shows', 'direct']} onChange={onChange} label={<FormattedMessage id='home.column_settings.show_direct' defaultMessage='Show private mentions' />} />
         </div>
 
         <span className='column-settings__section'><FormattedMessage id='home.column_settings.advanced' defaultMessage='Advanced' /></span>
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/status/components/action_bar.jsx b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/status/components/action_bar.jsx
index 94c6826f5..0ee947f41 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/status/components/action_bar.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/status/components/action_bar.jsx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
   delete: { id: 'status.delete', defaultMessage: 'Delete' },
   redraft: { id: 'status.redraft', defaultMessage: 'Delete & re-draft' },
   edit: { id: 'status.edit', defaultMessage: 'Edit' },
-  direct: { id: 'status.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct message @{name}' },
+  direct: { id: 'status.direct', defaultMessage: 'Privately mention @{name}' },
   mention: { id: 'status.mention', defaultMessage: 'Mention @{name}' },
   reply: { id: 'status.reply', defaultMessage: 'Reply' },
   reblog: { id: 'status.reblog', defaultMessage: 'Boost' },
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx
index 4c0f4bf9b..56b647701 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
   explore: { id: 'explore.title', defaultMessage: 'Explore' },
   local: { id: 'tabs_bar.local_timeline', defaultMessage: 'Local' },
   federated: { id: 'tabs_bar.federated_timeline', defaultMessage: 'Federated' },
-  direct: { id: 'navigation_bar.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct messages' },
+  direct: { id: 'navigation_bar.direct', defaultMessage: 'Private mentions' },
   favourites: { id: 'navigation_bar.favourites', defaultMessage: 'Favourites' },
   bookmarks: { id: 'navigation_bar.bookmarks', defaultMessage: 'Bookmarks' },
   lists: { id: 'navigation_bar.lists', defaultMessage: 'Lists' },
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/locales/en.json b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/locales/en.json
index e9fe5a0ec..07ca42339 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/locales/en.json
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/locales/en.json
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
   "getting_started.onboarding": "Show me around",
   "home.column_settings.advanced": "Advanced",
   "home.column_settings.filter_regex": "Filter out by regular expressions",
-  "home.column_settings.show_direct": "Show DMs",
+  "home.column_settings.show_direct": "Show private mentions",
   "home.settings": "Column settings",
   "keyboard_shortcuts.bookmark": "to bookmark",
   "keyboard_shortcuts.secondary_toot": "to send toot using secondary privacy setting",
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/components/status.scss b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/components/status.scss
index ddf691ddd..7cfec82c2 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/components/status.scss
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/components/status.scss
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@
     background: lighten($ui-base-color, 4%);
 
     &.status.status-direct {
-      background: lighten($ui-base-color, 12%);
+      background: mix(lighten($ui-base-color, 4%), $ui-highlight-color, 95%);
 
       &.muted {
         background: transparent;
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@
   }
 
   &.status-direct {
-    background: lighten($ui-base-color, 8%);
+    background: mix($ui-base-color, $ui-highlight-color, 95%);
     border-bottom-color: lighten($ui-base-color, 12%);
   }
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/mastodon-light/diff.scss b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/mastodon-light/diff.scss
index ef248bf4f..2294f2d7c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/mastodon-light/diff.scss
+++ b/app/javascript/flavours/glitch/styles/mastodon-light/diff.scss
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ html {
 
 // Change the background colors of statuses
 .focusable:focus {
-  background: $ui-base-color;
+  background: lighten($white, 4%);
 }
 
 .detailed-status,