A device, system, and method are directed towards sending a status of a user in a social network to a recipient. A status of the user is received over a channel. The recipient is selected based on a membership in the social network, a preference of the recipient, or a type of the status. Another channel is selected based on information about a mode of communication between the recipient and the user and/or another member related to the user in the social network. The status may be modified from one type to another type based on the recipient. The status is forwarded to the recipient over the other channel. Forwarding may comprise unicasting, multicasting, and/or delaying sending the status until the other channel is available. A channel may include an application protocol.