I got this message yesterday when replying to a mail chain in my smail inbox. I thought the user had changed their settings, and added them as buddy to continue mailing normally.

However, I've gotten this error message three times today when trying to smail other users (two of which I have smailed somewhat recently), so it seems like some sort of glitch.

windows desktop, Firefox 102.0.1

[edit] Update!

I asked a user I'd attempted to mail if they had changed their settings, and they said they had not - yet when they checked their mail settings, "Only buddies can message me" was selected. So I checked MY settings, and that option was also selected for me. I send and receive mails from a lot of random users so I would never have this setting turned on. Seems like a sitewide (?) glitch!

Because I need to allow people to contact me for my SubetaLodge stuff, I have never restricted access in any way. LOL I even keep the online/offline notice always active. Imagine my surprise to discover that my settings too have been changed to "only from friends."

I'm also windows, desktop, firefox.

In any case, I have turned it back to everyone and will try to remember to check tomorrow to see if it stuck or not.

[edit] When I checked on this today, no option at all was indicated. I don't know what that means for receiving smail. I'm re-enabling Anyone can message me.

My settings had also been changed o_o!

Thanks for the heads up. <3

My settings had also changed (already corrected them)! Noticed this the other day when I went to reply to an smail as well.

where is this? dont think Ive ever come across it before

found it

It sounds like changing the settings did a fix the issue after it somehow got reset. No one has reported this in years as far as I can see, so I'm going to lock this up as resolved.