What is the difference between a group, channel, broadcast list and community?¶

A platform may describe a communication space as a group, channel, broadcast list or community.

Evidential caution: that these labels all describe the same type of conversation.

What this means¶

A group is usually interactive. Members may be able to post, reply and see one another, subject to permissions.

A channel is often one-to-many. A limited number of accounts publish content to a wider audience. Followers or subscribers may have restricted or no ability to respond.

A broadcast list sends similar content to several recipients, but the recipients may receive it as separate messages rather than as members of one shared conversation.

These differences affect what the evidence can show. A message in a group may be visible to members present at the time. A channel post may reach followers without revealing them to one another. A broadcast may create separate delivery records for each recipient.

Stable IDs for the group, channel or community may be more reliable than display names.

What to check or do next¶

• Preserve the platform’s actual structure, not just the label. Record who could post, who could view, whether replies were possible, how members joined and whether historical content was available.

Evidential limits¶

A community may contain several linked groups, channels or roles under a broader structure. Membership of the wider community may not mean membership of every sub-group.

Do not assume that every recipient saw the content. Access, delivery and personal awareness remain separate questions.