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We conducted in-depth interviews with experienced users of Instant Messaging (IM) systems, focusing on privacy issues. We found that IM users share three main privacy concerns: privacy from non-contacts, privacy regarding availability, and privacy regarding the content of IM communication. One important driving force behind an individual’s desire for privacy in the context of IM seems to be the desire to control how one appears to others. We suggest that designers of IM systems empower users to monitor and manage the impression they project towards others through IM by providing modifiable policies and settings with suitable defaults and seamless interaction.