Overview
Users can chat with one another by participating in open channels or joining group channels within a Sendbird application. The operator role can be assigned to certain users to moderator other users. They are identified by their own unique ID, and may have a customized nickname and profile image. You can manage various attributes and actions of a user using the Chat API.
Note: By default, the Allow retrieving user list and Allow updating user metadata options are turned on which means that any user can retrieve a list of users and their metadata as well as alter other users' nicknames and their metadata within your application. This may grant access to unwanted data or operations, leading to potential security concerns. To manage your access control settings, you can turn on or off each option in Settings > Application > Security > Access control list on Sendbird Dashboard.
User types
Users can chat with each other by participating in open channels or joining group channels. Depending on the channel type your users are using and the assigned role within a channel, users can be labeled as a participant, a member, or an operator.
Type | Definition |
---|---|
User | Scope: Application |
Participant | Scope: Open channels |
Member | Scope: Group channels |
Block other users
A user can block other users within your Sendbird application to stop receiving messages from them in 1-to-1 or 1-to-N group channels. You can choose whether users can view which users they have blocked in the channel UI.
Operator
You can assign operators in each channel to moderate participants with abnormal activities by banning or muting them in the channel.
Banned participants will be kicked out of the channel. After the ban time set by an operator expires, they can re-enter the channel. On the other hand, muted participants are allowed to stay in the channel and view the messages, but can't talk until an operator unmutes them.
Additionally, channel operators can also delete or update any messages sent in a channel.