Everything on, phase 2: circle posts for everyone, private posts on signed refetch, browsers past SecureMode

Circles (owner decision 2026-10-04: fix them for compatibility):
- Mastodon 4.7 and GoToSocial drop a post that names none of their accounts, and a circle post named only the circle
  and its /flock. OutboxPublisher.Publish now sends each member a copy that also names that member in `cc`, on the
  activity and on the object, and names no other member. The Create, every Update (edit, poll, quote approval, policy,
  through the new PublishUpdate) and the Delete (StatusService.Remove now uses Publish) all go that way.
- UpdateOf renders with the post's group, so an Update keeps a circle post's `audience` and a community post's `Page`
  and title.
- A reply to a circle post stays in the circle, whichever client wrote it.
- A circle post can no longer quote a post that needs permission: asking would show the circle post to its author.

Posts that are not public, on refetch (SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayRead):
- Followers-only, direct and circle posts are served to a signed request from someone they were for, or from the
  instance actor of a server where one of them lives. That is a follower or an addressed account, an addressed
  account, or a member. Everyone else still gets 404.
- Once deleted they answer those readers 410. Mastodon deletes its copy when a refetch answers 404.
- A circle refetch names the requesting member, or the members on the requesting server, as the delivered copy did.
- /grunts/create-{id} serves the same.
- /peasants/{name}/whispers/{id}, a DM's `context`, was never routed. It is now the conversation's posts, for its
  participants only.

SecureMode lets browsers through to the redirect to the public page, instead of answering them 401.

653 tests pass.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01ELjqpznMFMNrJoJUj6K5p2

CLAUDE.md

@@ -182,8 +182,17 @@ group www-data and reaches the private mongod; `sudo -u www-data` works too.
    `ContentFormat` says what `Text` holds. Remote names are plain text.
 8. **Circles federate to members only.** A circle is an undiscoverable Group actor that takes follow requests (the owner
    approves); its posts are addressed to the circle and its `/flock`, delivered to members' personal inboxes, never
-   announced, and served only to a signed request from a member or a member's instance actor
+   announced. Each member's copy also names that member in `cc` (`OutboxPublisher.Naming`, owner decision
-   (`SignedFetchAuthorizer`), 404 otherwise. Circles never appear in search, lookups, mentions or profile pages.
+   2026-10-04), because Mastodon and GoToSocial keep a post only when it names one of their accounts; Create, every
+   Update and the Delete all go through `OutboxPublisher.Publish` for that. A reply to a circle post stays in the circle,
+   and a circle post never asks a non-member for a quote. Circles never appear in search, lookups, mentions or profile
+   pages.
+   **A post that is not public is served only to a signed request from someone it was for** (`SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayRead`):
+   a follower or an addressed account for followers-only, an addressed account for a DM, a member for a circle, or the
+   instance actor of a server where one of them lives; 404 to anyone else, 410 to them once it is deleted. A circle
+   refetch names the requesting member, or the members on the requesting server. A DM's `context`
+   (`/peasants/{name}/whispers/{id}`) lists the conversation's posts for its participants. Mastodon deletes its copy
+   when a refetch answers 404, which is why this matters.
    **Communities** are FEP-1b12 groups: `GroupDistributor` announces the whole activity (plus the object for new posts,
    for Mastodon), top-level posts are `Page`s with a `name`, posting follows `Group.PostingPolicy`.
    Located posts (`LocalGeo`) are the only local-only posts.
@@ -419,7 +428,8 @@ tools/pasture/run.sh down                                            # removes e
   Its token comes from `rails runner` (no password grant). Without Elasticsearch its status search finds nothing, so
   deliveries are checked through `/api/v1/accounts/:id/statuses` of the sender as Mastodon knows them, or
   `Status.exists?` through `rails runner`. Its actors are numbered (`/ap/users/<id>`), so look URIs up rather than
-  build them. 49 checks; circle posts are an expected failure (see `docs/INTEROP.md`, Mastodon).
+  build them. Circle posts and a followers-only post survive its signed refetch (`ActivityPub::FetchRemoteStatusService`
+  through `rails runner`). Inbound Block is the one expected failure until P7.
 - **Misskey (2026.10.0):** one container on the shared Postgres and Redis. A new Misskey federates with nobody
   (`federation: none`) until `admin/update-meta` says `all`, which `misskey_up` does. Its API is `POST /api/<endpoint>`
   with the token as `i` (`mk` in the scenario); `users/relation` answers a list, `users/notes` leaves replies out unless

FEDERATION.md

@@ -73,8 +73,10 @@ A group is either a **community** or a **circle**.
   top-level post is a `Page` with a `name`. Members are counted at `/flock`; moderators are listed at `/wardens`, which
   the actor's `attributedTo` points to, with `postingRestrictedToMods` as Lemmy expects. A mention of a community posts into it.
 - A **circle** is private. Its actor is not discoverable and every follow is a request. Its posts are addressed to the
-  circle and its members collection, delivered to each member's own inbox and never announced. They are served only
+  circle and its members collection, delivered to each member's own inbox and never announced. Each member's copy also
-  to a signed request from a member, or from the instance actor of a member's server; anyone else gets 404. A
+  names that member in `cc`, so servers that keep only posts naming one of their accounts (Mastodon, GoToSocial) keep
+  it; it names no other member. The posts are served only to a signed request from a member, or from the instance actor
+  of a member's server, and that copy names the member (or the members on that server); anyone else gets 404. A
   Mastodon member's replies reach only the people they mention.
 - Announces from **remote** groups (Lemmy communities) are followed through to the activity: the object is fetched
   from its own origin, never taken from the announce.
@@ -192,6 +194,13 @@ Posts with a location (shown to nearby users of this server) never leave the ser
   deletes, must be on its actor's origin. An embedded object from another origin is fetched from that origin.
 - **Fetching.** All fetches are signed by the instance actor. They go only to public addresses, follow at most three
   redirects and read at most 1 MB.
+- **Reading our documents (SecureMode).** privapub.thepra.dev answers ActivityPub GETs only when they are signed, like
+  Mastodon's authorized fetch; the instance actor `/peasants/privapub` is the exception, since its key is needed first.
+  A browser asking for HTML is redirected to the public page instead.
+- **Posts that are not public** (followers-only, direct, circle) are served to a signed request from someone they were
+  for, or from the instance actor of a server where someone they were for lives, and to nobody else (404). Once deleted
+  they answer those same readers 410. A direct message's `context`, `/peasants/{name}/whispers/{id}`, is an
+  `OrderedCollection` of the conversation's posts for its participants.
 - **HTML.** Received HTML is sanitised to Mastodon's allowlist.
 - **Keys we cannot fetch for now.** When a sender's key cannot be fetched because its server timed out or answered
   5xx, the inbox answers 503 with `Retry-After: 300` rather than 401.

PrivaPub.Tests/Federation/GroupTests.cs

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ using PrivaPub.Models.Federation;
 using PrivaPub.Models.Group;
 using PrivaPub.Models.Post;
 using PrivaPub.Models.Social;
+using PrivaPub.StaticServices;
 using PrivaPub.Tests.Support;
 
 using System.Text.Json.Nodes;
@@ -138,21 +139,83 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Tests.Federation
 			Assert.Equal(PostVisibility.Circle, outcome.Post.Visibility);
 			var create = Assert.Single(await _harness.Outgoing(member.Id + "/inbox"));
 			Assert.Equal(new[] { circle.Uri, circle.Flock }, create["object"]!["to"]!.AsArray().Select(t => t!.GetValue<string>()));
+			// the member's copy names the member, so Mastodon and GoToSocial keep it, and names nobody else
+			Assert.Equal(new[] { member.Id }, create["cc"]!.AsArray().Select(t => t!.GetValue<string>()));
+			Assert.Equal(new[] { member.Id }, create["object"]!["cc"]!.AsArray().Select(t => t!.GetValue<string>()));
 			Assert.DoesNotContain(Addressing.Public, create.ToJsonString());
 			Assert.Empty(await _harness.Outgoing(follower.SharedInbox));
 			Assert.Empty((await _harness.Outgoing(member.SharedInbox)).Where(a => a["type"]!.GetValue<string>() == "Announce"));
 
-			var authorizer = new SignedFetchAuthorizer(_harness.Remote);
+			var authorizer = new SignedFetchAuthorizer(_harness.Remote, new DbEntities());
 			var path = new Uri(outcome.Post.ObjectURI).AbsolutePath;
 			var asMember = await authorizer.Requester(member.Get(Harness.Host, path), token);
 			var asOutsider = await authorizer.Requester(outsider.Get(Harness.Host, path), token);
 			Assert.True(SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayReadCircle(circleEntity, asMember));
 			Assert.False(SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayReadCircle(circleEntity, asOutsider));
 			Assert.False(SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayReadCircle(circleEntity, default));
+			Assert.True(await authorizer.MayRead(outcome.Post, asMember, token));
+			Assert.False(await authorizer.MayRead(outcome.Post, asOutsider, token));
+			Assert.Equal(new[] { member.Id }, SignedFetchAuthorizer.CircleReaders(circleEntity, asMember));
 			Assert.True(circle.IsCircle);
 			Assert.False(circle.Discoverable);
 		}
 
+		[Fact]
+		public async Task A_circle_posts_edit_and_delete_reach_each_member_naming_only_that_member()
+		{
+			var token = TestContext.Current.CancellationToken;
+			var (_, alice) = await _harness.Persona("alice");
+			var first = new RemoteActor(_harness.Peer, "first");
+			var second = new RemoteActor(_harness.Peer, "second", _harness.Peer.B);
+			var (_, circle) = await Group(GroupKind.Circle, PostingPolicy.Followers, alice.Id, first.Id, second.Id);
+			await _harness.Remote.GetActor(first.Id, refresh: false, token);
+			await _harness.Remote.GetActor(second.Id, refresh: false, token);
+
+			var outcome = await _harness.Statuses.Publish(alice, new StatusDraft { Text = "just us", GroupId = circle.Id }, token);
+			await _harness.Statuses.Edit(alice, outcome.Post.ID, new StatusDraft { Text = "just us, edited" }, token);
+			await _harness.Statuses.Remove(alice, outcome.Post.ID, token);
+
+			foreach (var (member, other) in new[] { (first, second), (second, first) })
+			{
+				var sent = await _harness.Outgoing(member.Id + "/inbox");
+				Assert.Equal(new[] { "Create", "Update", "Delete" }, sent.Select(a => a["type"]!.GetValue<string>()));
+				Assert.All(sent, a => Assert.Contains(member.Id, a["cc"]!.AsArray().Select(c => c!.GetValue<string>())));
+				Assert.All(sent, a => Assert.DoesNotContain(other.Id, a.ToJsonString()));
+			}
+		}
+
+		[Fact]
+		public async Task A_reply_to_a_circle_post_stays_in_it_and_a_circle_post_asks_nobody_outside_for_a_quote()
+		{
+			var token = TestContext.Current.CancellationToken;
+			var (_, alice) = await _harness.Persona("alice");
+			var (_, bob) = await _harness.Persona("bob");
+			var (entity, circle) = await Group(GroupKind.Circle, PostingPolicy.Followers, alice.Id);
+			entity.Members.Add(new GroupMember { AvatarId = bob.Id });
+			await DB.Default.SaveAsync(entity, token);
+			var outsider = new RemoteActor(_harness.Peer, "asked");
+			await _harness.Remote.GetActor(outsider.Id, refresh: false, token);
+			var asksFirst = new Post
+			{
+				ObjectURI = $"{Origin(outsider)}/notes/{Guid.NewGuid():N}",
+				ActorURI = outsider.Id,
+				IsFederatedCopy = true,
+				Visibility = PostVisibility.Public,
+				ContentHtml = "<p>ask me first</p>",
+				QuotePolicy = new InteractionRule { Manual = new() { Addressing.Public } }
+			};
+			await DB.Default.SaveAsync(asksFirst, token);
+
+			var root = await _harness.Statuses.Publish(alice, new StatusDraft { Text = "just us", GroupId = circle.Id }, token);
+			var reply = await _harness.Statuses.Publish(bob, new StatusDraft { Text = "still just us", InReplyTo = root.Post.ID }, token);
+			var quote = await _harness.Statuses.Publish(alice, new StatusDraft { Text = "look", GroupId = circle.Id, QuotedStatusId = asksFirst.ID }, token);
+
+			Assert.Equal(PostVisibility.Circle, reply.Post.Visibility);
+			Assert.Equal(circle.Id, reply.Post.GroupId);
+			Assert.Equal(422, quote.Status);
+			Assert.Empty(await _harness.Outgoing(outsider.Id + "/inbox"));
+		}
+
 		[Fact]
 		public async Task Only_circle_members_can_post_into_a_circle()
 		{

PrivaPub.Tests/Http/FederationGetTests.cs

@@ -322,11 +322,66 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Tests.Http
 			Assert.Equal(new[] { circle.Uri, circle.Uri + "/flock" }, Strings(asMember.Json["to"]));
 			Assert.DoesNotContain(ActivityPubRenderer.Public, asMember.Text);
 			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, asMemberServer.Status);
+			// a refetch names the member, as the member's copy did; the instance actor sees the members on its server only
+			Assert.Equal(new[] { member.Id }, Strings(asMember.Json["cc"]));
+			Assert.Equal(new[] { member.Id }, Strings(asMemberServer.Json["cc"]));
 			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(path)).Status);
 			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(path, Browser)).Status);
 			foreach (var outsider in new[] { neighbour, stranger, strangerServer })
 				Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(outsider.SignedGet(path))).Status);
-			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch($"/peasants/{owner.UserName}/grunts/create-{post.ID}")).Status);
+			var create = $"/peasants/{owner.UserName}/grunts/create-{post.ID}";
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(create)).Status);
+			var createAsMember = await _client.Fetch(member.SignedGet(create));
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, createAsMember.Status);
+			Assert.Equal(post.ObjectURI, createAsMember.Json["object"]!["id"]!.GetValue<string>());
+			Assert.Equal(new[] { member.Id }, Strings(createAsMember.Json["object"]!["cc"]));
+		}
+
+		[Fact]
+		public async Task Followers_only_and_direct_posts_are_served_to_signed_fetches_from_those_they_were_for()
+		{
+			var token = TestContext.Current.CancellationToken;
+			var owner = await _host.Persona(await _host.SignUp(), "private");
+			var follower = new RemoteActor(_peer, "follower");
+			var followerServer = new RemoteActor(_peer, "instance", type: "Application");
+			var recipient = new RemoteActor(_peer, "recipient");
+			var stranger = new RemoteActor(_peer, "stranger", _peer.B);
+			_peer.WebFinger(recipient);
+			await DB.Default.SaveAsync(new Follower
+			{
+				LocalActorId = owner.Id,
+				LocalActorKind = LocalActorKind.Person,
+				ActorURI = follower.Id,
+				InboxURL = follower.Id + "/inbox"
+			}, token);
+			var quiet = await _host.Publish(owner, "for followers", PostVisibility.FollowersOnly);
+			var direct = await _host.Publish(owner, new StatusDraft { Text = $"@{recipient.Handle()} just you", PlainText = true, Visibility = PostVisibility.Direct });
+			var quietPath = $"/peasants/{owner.UserName}/scribbles/{quiet.ID}";
+			var directPath = $"/peasants/{owner.UserName}/scribbles/{direct.ID}";
+
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, (await _client.Fetch(follower.SignedGet(quietPath))).Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, (await _client.Fetch(followerServer.SignedGet(quietPath))).Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(stranger.SignedGet(quietPath))).Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(quietPath)).Status);
+			var asRecipient = await _client.Fetch(recipient.SignedGet(directPath));
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, asRecipient.Status);
+			Assert.Contains(recipient.Id, Strings(asRecipient.Json["to"]));
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(follower.SignedGet(directPath))).Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(directPath)).Status);
+
+			// the DM's context is the conversation, for its participants only
+			var context = PathOf(asRecipient.Json["context"]!.GetValue<string>());
+			var conversation = await _client.Fetch(recipient.SignedGet(context));
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, conversation.Status);
+			Assert.Equal(new[] { direct.ObjectURI }, Strings(conversation.Json["orderedItems"]));
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(stranger.SignedGet(context))).Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(context)).Status);
+
+			// once deleted, those it was for learn it is gone; everyone else still learns nothing
+			await _host.Remove(owner, quiet);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.Gone, (await _client.Fetch(follower.SignedGet(quietPath))).Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(stranger.SignedGet(quietPath))).Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, (await _client.Fetch(quietPath)).Status);
 		}
 
 		[Fact]
@@ -463,6 +518,10 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Tests.Http
 			Assert.Equal("Application", instance.Json["type"]!.GetValue<string>());
 			foreach (var path in paths[..^1])
 				Assert.True((await client.Fetch(reader.SignedGet(path))).Status == HttpStatusCode.OK, $"{path} refused a signed GET");
+			// a browser is not asked for a signature: it is only sent to the public pages
+			var browser = await client.Fetch($"/peasants/{persona.UserName}", Browser);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.Redirect, browser.Status);
+			Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.Redirect, (await client.Fetch($"/peasants/{persona.UserName}/scribbles/{post.ID}", Browser)).Status);
 		}
 	}
 }

PrivaPub/Api/Mastodon/Controllers/StatusesController.cs

@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Api.Mastodon.Controllers
 			await DB.Default.Update<PostEntity>().MatchID(post.ID).Modify(p => p.LocalQuotePolicy, policy).ExecuteAsync(token);
 			post.LocalQuotePolicy = policy;
 			if (!post.IsLocalOnly)
-				await _outbox.Publish(Me, post, ActivityPubRenderer.UpdateOf(post, Me, $"policy-{DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks}"), token);
+				await _outbox.PublishUpdate(Me, post, $"policy-{DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks}", token);
 			return Json(await _mapper.Status(post, MyId, token));
 		}
 

PrivaPub/Domain/Statuses/PollService.cs

@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Domain.Statuses
 				return JobOutcome.Done;
 			await Closing(post, author, token);
 			if (!post.IsLocalOnly)
-				await _outbox.Publish(author, post, ActivityPubRenderer.UpdateOf(post, author, $"poll-{DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks}"), token);
+				await _outbox.PublishUpdate(author, post, $"poll-{DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks}", token);
 			return JobOutcome.Done;
 		}
 

PrivaPub/Domain/Statuses/QuoteService.cs

@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Domain.Statuses
 				.ExecuteAsync(token);
 			await DB.Default.Update<PostEntity>().MatchID(quoted.ID).Modify(b => b.Inc(p => p.QuotesCount, 1)).ExecuteAsync(token);
 			if (!post.IsLocalOnly)
-				await _outbox.Publish(author, post, ActivityPubRenderer.UpdateOf(post, author, "quote-approved"), token);
+				await _outbox.PublishUpdate(author, post, "quote-approved", token);
 			return true;
 		}
 

PrivaPub/Domain/Statuses/StatusService.cs

@@ -119,6 +119,11 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Domain.Statuses
 				return StatusOutcome.Fail(StatusCodes.Status404NotFound, "Record not found");
 			if (parent != default && !await VisibilityPolicy.CanSee(parent, author.Id, token))
 				return StatusOutcome.Fail(StatusCodes.Status404NotFound, "Record not found");
+			// a reply in a circle stays in the circle, whichever client wrote it: Mastodon clients know nothing of groups
+			if (group == default && parent is { Visibility: PostVisibility.Circle } && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(parent.GroupId)
+				&& await _dbEntities.Groups.MatchID(parent.GroupId).ExecuteFirstAsync(token) is { DeletionAt: null } parentCircle
+				&& await MayPost(parentCircle, author, token))
+				group = _localActors.FromGroup(parentCircle);
 
 			PostEntity quoted = default;
 			var quotePermission = QuotePermission.Denied;
@@ -161,6 +166,9 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Domain.Statuses
 			var visibility = located ? PostVisibility.LocalGeo
 				: group is { IsCircle: true } ? PostVisibility.Circle
 				: draft.Visibility is PostVisibility.Circle or PostVisibility.LocalGeo ? PostVisibility.Public : draft.Visibility;
+			// asking a quoted post's author for permission would show them the circle post
+			if (visibility == PostVisibility.Circle && quoted != default && quotePermission != QuotePermission.Granted)
+				return StatusOutcome.Fail(StatusCodes.Status422UnprocessableEntity, "Validation failed: A circle post can only quote a post that needs no permission");
 			var post = new PostEntity
 			{
 				GroupUserId = author.Id,
@@ -340,7 +348,7 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Domain.Statuses
 			{
 				var delete = ActivityPubRenderer.Delete(author, post.ObjectURI, $"delete-{post.ID}",
 					new JsonArray(post.To.Select(t => (JsonNode)t).ToArray()), new JsonArray(post.Cc.Select(c => (JsonNode)c).ToArray()));
-				await _delivery.Enqueue(author, audience, delete, token);
+				await _outbox.Publish(author, post, delete, token);//the post in hand still has its group and mentions
 				var group = string.IsNullOrEmpty(post.GroupId) ? default : await _localActors.FindById(LocalActorKind.Group, post.GroupId, token);
 				if (group is { IsCircle: false })
 					await _groups.Announce(group, delete, post.ObjectURI, isNewPost: false, token);

PrivaPub/Federation/Controllers/PeasantsController.cs

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ using PrivaPub.Domain.Privacy;
 using PrivaPub.Federation.Actors;
 using PrivaPub.Federation.Rendering;
 using PrivaPub.Federation.Inbox;
+using PrivaPub.Federation.Outbox;
 using PrivaPub.Federation.Signing;
 using PrivaPub.Infrastructure.Http;
 using PrivaPub.Models.Group;
@@ -185,11 +186,13 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Controllers
 		public async Task<IActionResult> Post(string actor, string postId, CancellationToken token)
 		{
 			var (local, post) = await PublicPost(actor, postId, token);
-			if (post == default && await CirclePost(actor, postId, token) is { } circlePost)
+			if (post == default && await SignedPost(actor, postId, token) is { } signed)
 			{
-				var circleNote = ActivityPubRenderer.Note(circlePost.Post, circlePost.Author, circlePost.Circle, circlePost.Post.InReplyToURI);
+				if (signed.Post.DeletedAt.HasValue)
-				circleNote["@context"] = ActivityPubRenderer.Context();
+					return TombstoneOf(signed.Author, signed.Post);
-				return Activity(circleNote);
+				var signedNote = (JsonObject)signed.Note.DeepClone();
+				signedNote["@context"] = ActivityPubRenderer.Context();
+				return Activity(signedNote);
 			}
 			if (post == default)
 				return await Tombstone(actor, postId, token) ?? NotFound();
@@ -243,7 +246,36 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Controllers
 			if (!activityId.StartsWith("create-", StringComparison.Ordinal))
 				return NotFound();
 			var (local, post) = await PublicPost(actor, activityId["create-".Length..], token);
-			return post == default ? NotFound() : Activity(await CreateFor(post, local, token));
+			if (post != default)
+				return Activity(await CreateFor(post, local, token));
+			return await SignedPost(actor, activityId["create-".Length..], token) is { Post.DeletedAt: null } signed
+				? Activity(ActivityPubRenderer.Create(signed.Author, (JsonObject)signed.Note.DeepClone(), activityId))
+				: NotFound();
+		}
+
+		// A DM's `context`: the conversation's posts, for its participants (or their servers' instance actors) only.
+		[HttpGet, Route("{actor}/whispers/{conversationId}")]
+		public async Task<IActionResult> Whispers(string actor, string conversationId, CancellationToken token)
+		{
+			var local = await _localActors.FindByUserName(actor, token);
+			if (local is not { IsFederated: true, Kind: LocalActorKind.Person })
+				return NotFound();
+			var uri = local.ConversationUri(conversationId);
+			var conversation = await _dbEntities.DmGroups.Match(g => g.ID == conversationId && g.ConversationURI == uri && !g.DeletionAt.HasValue).ExecuteFirstAsync(token);
+			if (conversation == default || !SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayReadConversation(conversation, await _fetches.Requester(Request, token)))
+				return NotFound();
+			var posts = await _dbEntities.Posts
+				.Match(p => p.ConversationId == conversationId && p.Visibility == PostVisibility.Direct && !p.DeletedAt.HasValue)
+				.Sort(p => p.CreationDate, Order.Ascending)
+				.ExecuteAsync(token);
+			return Activity(new JsonObject
+			{
+				["@context"] = ActivityPubRenderer.ActivityStreams,
+				["id"] = uri,
+				["type"] = "OrderedCollection",
+				["totalItems"] = posts.Count,
+				["orderedItems"] = new JsonArray(posts.Select(p => (JsonNode)p.ObjectURI).ToArray())
+			});
 		}
 
 		[HttpPost, Route("{actor}/mouth"), EnableRateLimiting(RateLimiting.Inbox)]
@@ -275,18 +307,35 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Controllers
 			return (local, post);
 		}
 
-		async Task<(LocalActor Author, LocalActor Circle, PostEntity Post)?> CirclePost(string actor, string postId, CancellationToken token)
+		// A followers-only, direct or circle post (deleted ones included), for a signed request from someone it was for
+		// (SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayRead). It is rendered as it was delivered: a circle post also names, in cc, the requesting
+		// member, or the members on the requesting instance actor's server.
+		async Task<(LocalActor Author, PostEntity Post, JsonObject Note)?> SignedPost(string actor, string postId, CancellationToken token)
 		{
 			var local = await _localActors.FindByUserName(actor, token);
-			if (local is not { Kind: LocalActorKind.Person })
+			if (local is not { IsFederated: true, Kind: LocalActorKind.Person })
 				return default;
 			var post = await _dbEntities.Posts
-				.Match(p => p.ID == postId && p.GroupUserId == local.Id && !p.IsFederatedCopy && !p.DeletedAt.HasValue && p.Visibility == PostVisibility.Circle)
+				.Match(p => p.ID == postId && p.GroupUserId == local.Id && !p.IsFederatedCopy && p.ReblogOfPostId == null
+					&& (p.Visibility == PostVisibility.FollowersOnly || p.Visibility == PostVisibility.Direct || p.Visibility == PostVisibility.Circle))
 				.ExecuteFirstAsync(token);
-			var circle = post == default ? default : await _dbEntities.Groups.MatchID(post.GroupId).ExecuteFirstAsync(token);
+			if (post == default)
-			if (circle == default || !SignedFetchAuthorizer.MayReadCircle(circle, await _fetches.Requester(Request, token)))
 				return default;
-			return (local, _localActors.FromGroup(circle), post);
+			var requester = await _fetches.Requester(Request, token);
+			if (!await _fetches.MayRead(post, requester, token))
+				return default;
+			if (post.Visibility == PostVisibility.Circle)
+			{
+				var circle = await _dbEntities.Groups.MatchID(post.GroupId).ExecuteFirstAsync(token);
+				var note = ActivityPubRenderer.Note(post, local, _localActors.FromGroup(circle), post.InReplyToURI);
+				return (local, post, OutboxPublisher.Naming(note, SignedFetchAuthorizer.CircleReaders(circle, requester)));
+			}
+			var rendered = post.Visibility == PostVisibility.Direct
+				? ActivityPubRenderer.DirectNote(post, local, Array.Empty<(string, string)>(), post.ContextURI)
+				: ActivityPubRenderer.Note(post, local, default, post.InReplyToURI);
+			rendered["to"] = new JsonArray(post.To.Select(t => (JsonNode)t).ToArray());
+			rendered["cc"] = new JsonArray(post.Cc.Select(c => (JsonNode)c).ToArray());
+			return (local, post, rendered);
 		}
 
 		async Task<IActionResult> Tombstone(string actor, string postId, CancellationToken token)
@@ -298,8 +347,11 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Controllers
 				.Match(p => p.ID == postId && p.GroupUserId == local.Id && !p.IsFederatedCopy && p.DeletedAt.HasValue
 					&& (p.Visibility == PostVisibility.Public || p.Visibility == PostVisibility.Unlisted))
 				.ExecuteFirstAsync(token);
-			if (deleted == default)
+			return deleted == default ? default : TombstoneOf(local, deleted);
-				return default;
+		}
+
+		ContentResult TombstoneOf(LocalActor local, PostEntity deleted)
+		{
 			var tombstone = new JsonObject
 			{
 				["@context"] = ActivityPubRenderer.ActivityStreams,
@@ -349,7 +401,9 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Controllers
 		{
 			if (HttpMethods.IsGet(Request.Method))
 				Response.Headers.Vary = "Accept";
-			if (_federation.CurrentValue.SecureMode && HttpMethods.IsGet(Request.Method)
+			// SecureMode asks every reader of ActivityPub documents for a signature, except for the instance actor, whose key
+			// peers need first, and except for browsers, which only get redirected to the public pages
+			if (_federation.CurrentValue.SecureMode && HttpMethods.IsGet(Request.Method) && !WantsHtml()
 				&& !string.Equals(context.RouteData.Values["actor"] as string, LocalActorService.InstanceUserName, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
 				&& await _fetches.Requester(Request, HttpContext.RequestAborted) == default)
 			{

PrivaPub/Federation/Outbox/OutboxPublisher.cs

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Outbox
 	{
 		Task<IReadOnlyList<string>> Audience(LocalActor author, PostEntity post, CancellationToken token);
 		Task Publish(LocalActor author, PostEntity post, JsonObject activity, CancellationToken token);
+		Task PublishUpdate(LocalActor author, PostEntity post, string reason, CancellationToken token);
 		Task PublishProfile(LocalActor actor, CancellationToken token);
 	}
 
@@ -73,25 +74,63 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Outbox
 			return inboxes.Where(i => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(i)).Distinct(StringComparer.Ordinal).ToList();
 		}
 
-		async Task<IReadOnlyList<string>> CircleMembers(string groupId, CancellationToken token)
+		async Task<IReadOnlyList<string>> CircleMembers(string groupId, CancellationToken token) =>
+			(await CircleRecipients(groupId, token)).Select(r => r.Inbox).Distinct(StringComparer.Ordinal).ToList();
+
+		async Task<IReadOnlyList<(string Member, string Inbox)>> CircleRecipients(string groupId, CancellationToken token)
 		{
 			var circle = string.IsNullOrEmpty(groupId) ? default : await _dbEntities.Groups.MatchID(groupId).ExecuteFirstAsync(token);
 			if (circle == default)
-				return Array.Empty<string>();
+				return Array.Empty<(string, string)>();
 			var remote = circle.Members.Where(m => m.IsForeign).Select(m => m.AvatarId).ToList();
 			if (remote.Count == 0)
-				return Array.Empty<string>();
+				return Array.Empty<(string, string)>();
 			return (await _dbEntities.ForeignAvatars.Match(a => remote.Contains(a.ActorURI)).ExecuteAsync(token))
-				.Select(a => a.InboxURL).Where(i => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(i)).Distinct(StringComparer.Ordinal).ToList();
+				.Where(a => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(a.InboxURL))
+				.Select(a => (a.ActorURI, a.InboxURL))
+				.ToList();
 		}
 
 		public async Task Publish(LocalActor author, PostEntity post, JsonObject activity, CancellationToken token)
 		{
+			if (post.Visibility == PostVisibility.Circle)
+			{
+				foreach (var (member, inbox) in await CircleRecipients(post.GroupId, token))
+					await _delivery.Enqueue(author, new[] { inbox }, Naming(activity, new[] { member }), token);
+				return;
+			}
 			var inboxes = await Audience(author, post, token);
 			if (inboxes.Count > 0)
 				await _delivery.Enqueue(author, inboxes, activity, token);
 		}
 
+		public async Task PublishUpdate(LocalActor author, PostEntity post, string reason, CancellationToken token)
+		{
+			var group = string.IsNullOrEmpty(post.GroupId) ? default : await _localActors.FindById(LocalActorKind.Group, post.GroupId, token);
+			await Publish(author, post, ActivityPubRenderer.UpdateOf(post, author, group, reason), token);
+		}
+
+		// Mastodon and GoToSocial keep a post only when it names one of their own accounts, and a circle post names only the
+		// circle. So each member's copy, or a member's refetch, also names that member in cc (owner decision 2026-10-04):
+		// it tells each member nothing but that they are in the circle.
+		public static JsonObject Naming(JsonObject activityOrObject, IEnumerable<string> members)
+		{
+			var copy = (JsonObject)activityOrObject.DeepClone();
+			Name(copy, members);
+			if (copy["object"] is JsonObject inner && inner.ContainsKey("to"))
+				Name(inner, members);
+			return copy;
+		}
+
+		static void Name(JsonObject node, IEnumerable<string> members)
+		{
+			var cc = node["cc"] as JsonArray ?? new JsonArray();
+			foreach (var member in members)
+				if (!cc.Any(c => c?.GetValue<string>() == member))
+					cc.Add(member);
+			node["cc"] = cc;
+		}
+
 		public async Task PublishProfile(LocalActor actor, CancellationToken token)
 		{
 			var document = ActivityPubRenderer.Actor(actor);

PrivaPub/Federation/Rendering/ActivityPubRenderer.cs

@@ -178,11 +178,11 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Rendering
 			return note;
 		}
 
-		public static JsonObject UpdateOf(PostEntity post, LocalActor author, string reason)
+		public static JsonObject UpdateOf(PostEntity post, LocalActor author, LocalActor group, string reason)
 		{
 			var note = post.Visibility == PostVisibility.Direct
 				? DirectNote(post, author, Array.Empty<(string, string)>(), post.ContextURI)
-				: Note(post, author, default, post.InReplyToURI);
+				: Note(post, author, group, post.InReplyToURI);
 			note["to"] = new JsonArray(post.To.Select(t => (JsonNode)t).ToArray());
 			note["cc"] = new JsonArray(post.Cc.Select(c => (JsonNode)c).ToArray());
 			return new JsonObject

PrivaPub/Federation/Signing/SignedFetchAuthorizer.cs

@@ -1,23 +1,34 @@
 using PrivaPub.Federation.Actors;
 using PrivaPub.Federation.Objects;
+using PrivaPub.Models.Federation;
+using PrivaPub.Models.Post;
 using PrivaPub.Models.User;
+using PrivaPub.StaticServices;
 
 using GroupEntity = PrivaPub.Models.Group.Group;
+using PostEntity = PrivaPub.Models.Post.Post;
 
 namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Signing
 {
 	public interface ISignedFetchAuthorizer
 	{
 		Task<ForeignAvatar> Requester(HttpRequest request, CancellationToken token);
+		Task<bool> MayRead(PostEntity post, ForeignAvatar requester, CancellationToken token);
 	}
 
+	// Who may refetch a post that is not public (owner decision 2026-10-04). A server that received a followers-only post,
+	// a DM or a circle post refetches it, signed by the account it was for or by its instance actor, and Mastodon deletes its
+	// copy when the refetch answers 404. So the post is served to a signed request from someone it was for, or from the
+	// instance actor of a server where someone it was for lives; everyone else still gets 404.
 	public class SignedFetchAuthorizer : ISignedFetchAuthorizer
 	{
 		readonly IRemoteActorService _remoteActors;
+		readonly DbEntities _dbEntities;
 
-		public SignedFetchAuthorizer(IRemoteActorService remoteActors)
+		public SignedFetchAuthorizer(IRemoteActorService remoteActors, DbEntities dbEntities)
 		{
 			_remoteActors = remoteActors;
+			_dbEntities = dbEntities;
 		}
 
 		public async Task<ForeignAvatar> Requester(HttpRequest request, CancellationToken token)
@@ -33,8 +44,48 @@ namespace PrivaPub.Federation.Signing
 			return actor != default && HttpSignatures.Verify(actor.PublicKey, signingString, parameters.Signature) ? actor : default;
 		}
 
+		public async Task<bool> MayRead(PostEntity post, ForeignAvatar requester, CancellationToken token)
+		{
+			if (post == default || requester == default)
+				return false;
+			switch (post.Visibility)
+			{
+				case PostVisibility.Public or PostVisibility.Unlisted:
+					return true;
+				case PostVisibility.Circle:
+					var circle = string.IsNullOrEmpty(post.GroupId) ? default : await _dbEntities.Groups.MatchID(post.GroupId).ExecuteFirstAsync(token);
+					return circle != default && MayReadCircle(circle, requester);
+				case PostVisibility.Direct:
+					return Addressed(post).Any(uri => Is(requester, uri));
+				case PostVisibility.FollowersOnly:
+					if (Addressed(post).Any(uri => Is(requester, uri)))
+						return true;
+					var followers = await _dbEntities.Followers
+						.Match(f => f.LocalActorId == post.GroupUserId && f.LocalActorKind == LocalActorKind.Person && f.IsAccepted)
+						.ExecuteAsync(token);
+					return followers.Any(f => Is(requester, f.ActorURI));
+				default:
+					return false;
+			}
+		}
+
+		static IEnumerable<string> Addressed(PostEntity post) =>
+			post.To.Concat(post.Cc).Concat(post.Mentions.Select(m => m.ActorURI)).Where(uri => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(uri));
+
+		// the account itself, or the instance actor of the server it lives on
+		static bool Is(ForeignAvatar requester, string actorUri) =>
+			actorUri == requester.ActorURI || requester.AvatarType == AvatarType.Application && Origin.Same(actorUri, requester.ActorURI);
+
 		public static bool MayReadCircle(GroupEntity circle, ForeignAvatar requester) =>
-			requester != default && circle.Members.Any(m => m.IsForeign
+			requester != default && circle.Members.Any(m => m.IsForeign && Is(requester, m.AvatarId));
-				&& (m.AvatarId == requester.ActorURI || requester.AvatarType == AvatarType.Application && Origin.Same(m.AvatarId, requester.ActorURI)));
+
+		public static bool MayReadConversation(Models.Group.DmGroup conversation, ForeignAvatar requester) =>
+			requester != default && conversation.Members.Any(m => m.IsForeign && Is(requester, m.AvatarId));
+
+		// the members a refetch names in cc: the requesting member, or the members on an instance actor's server
+		public static IReadOnlyList<string> CircleReaders(GroupEntity circle, ForeignAvatar requester) =>
+			requester == default
+				? Array.Empty<string>()
+				: circle.Members.Where(m => m.IsForeign && Is(requester, m.AvatarId)).Select(m => m.AvatarId).ToList();
 	}
 }

tools/pasture/scenarios/gts.sh

@@ -165,11 +165,9 @@ until_true 20 '[ "$(gcurl -s -H "$GH" "$G/api/v1/accounts/relationships?id[]=$ci
 curl -s -o /dev/null -X POST $P/clientapi/post/insert -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -H "Authorization: Bearer $jwt" \
 	-d "{\"avatarId\":\"$alice_id\",\"text\":\"only the circle on GoToSocial sees this\",\"groupId\":\"$circle\"}"
 circle_uri=$(podman exec pasture-mongo mongosh --quiet PrivaPub --eval 'print(db.Post.findOne({Text:/only the circle on GoToSocial/}).ObjectURI)')
-if until_true 15 '[ "$(on_gts "$circle_uri" | j "print(len(d[\"statuses\"]))")" = "1" ]'; then
+# GoToSocial keeps no post addressed only to a collection it does not know, so each member's copy names that member
-	ok "a circle post reaches its GoToSocial member"
+until_true 15 '[ "$(on_gts "$circle_uri" | j "print(len(d[\"statuses\"]))")" = "1" ]' \
-else
+	&& ok "a circle post, naming its member, reaches its GoToSocial member" || ko "circle post missing on GoToSocial" 
-	xf "a circle post reaches its GoToSocial member (GoToSocial keeps no post addressed only to a collection it does not know)"
-fi
 [ "$(pfetch -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' -H 'Accept: application/activity+json' "$circle_uri")" = "404" ] && ok "the circle post is not served unsigned" || ko "circle post served unsigned"
 
 echo "locked personas"

tools/pasture/scenarios/mastodon.sh

@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ until_true 30 '[ "$(m_status_by_uri "$alice_on_m" "$cw_uri" | j "print(d and d[\
 fo_uri=$(curl -s -X POST -H "$AH" $P/api/v1/statuses -d 'status=only for followers&visibility=private' | j "print(d['uri'])")
 until_true 30 '[ "$(m_status_by_uri "$alice_on_m" "$fo_uri" | j "print(d and d[\"visibility\"])")" = "private" ]' && ok "a followers-only post reaches Mastodon as private" || ko "followers-only post missing or widened on Mastodon"
 [ "$(pfetch -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' -H 'Accept: application/activity+json' "$fo_uri")" = "404" ] && ok "the followers-only post is not served unsigned" || ko "followers-only post served unsigned"
+# Mastodon deletes its copy when a refetch answers 404, so a signed refetch from a follower's server is answered
+fo_refetch=$(podman exec pasture-mastodon bin/rails runner "s = ActivityPub::FetchRemoteStatusService.new.call('$fo_uri'); puts(s.present? ? s.visibility : 'lost')" 2>/dev/null | tail -1)
+[ "$fo_refetch" = "private" ] && ok "Mastodon's signed refetch of the followers-only post keeps it private" || ko "Mastodon's refetch of the followers-only post: $fo_refetch"
 
 echo "  replies"
 mcurl -o /dev/null -X POST -H "$MH" "$M/api/v1/statuses" -d "status=@alice_masto@privapub.test replying from Mastodon&in_reply_to_id=$a_post_on_m&visibility=public"
@@ -144,14 +147,13 @@ circle_post=$(curl -s -X POST $P/clientapi/post/insert -H 'Content-Type: applica
 	-d "{\"avatarId\":\"$alice_id\",\"text\":\"only the circle sees this\",\"groupId\":\"$circle\"}")
 circle_uri=$(podman exec pasture-mongo mongosh --quiet PrivaPub --eval 'print(db.Post.findOne({Text:/only the circle sees this/},{ObjectURI:1}).ObjectURI)')
 # Mastodon 4.7 learns whose personal inbox a delivery reached only from /users/<name>/inbox, never from the numeric
-# /ap/users/<id>/inbox it now advertises, and keeps a post naming no local account only for that recipient
+# /ap/users/<id>/inbox it now advertises, and keeps a post naming no local account of its own only for that recipient
-# (InboxesController#account_required?, Create#addresses_local_accounts?). A circle post names only the circle.
+# (InboxesController#account_required?, Create#addresses_local_accounts?). So each member's copy names that member.
 m_stored() { podman exec pasture-mastodon bin/rails runner "puts Status.exists?(uri: '$1')" 2>/dev/null | tail -1; }
-if until_true 15 '[ "$(m_stored "$circle_uri")" = "true" ]'; then
+until_true 15 '[ "$(m_stored "$circle_uri")" = "true" ]' && ok "a circle post, naming its member, reaches its Mastodon member" || ko "circle post missing on Mastodon"
-	ok "a circle post reaches its Mastodon member"
+# a signed refetch, as Mastodon does it, is answered for a member's server and names the member, so the copy stays
-else
+refetched=$(podman exec pasture-mastodon bin/rails runner "s = ActivityPub::FetchRemoteStatusService.new.call('$circle_uri'); puts(s.present? ? 'kept' : 'lost')" 2>/dev/null | tail -1)
-	xf "a circle post reaches its Mastodon member (Mastodon 4.7 loses the recipient of numeric-inbox deliveries; owner decision pending)"
+[ "$refetched" = "kept" ] && ok "Mastodon's signed refetch of the circle post keeps it" || ko "Mastodon's refetch of the circle post failed ($refetched)" 
-fi
 mastodon_user outsider
 OT=$(mastodon_token outsider)
 alice_on_m_o=$(mcurl -H "Authorization: Bearer $OT" "$M/api/v2/search?q=@alice_masto@privapub.test&resolve=true&type=accounts" | j "print(d['accounts'][0]['id'])")