diff --git a/brainlet/api/v2/gateway/index.js b/brainlet/api/v2/gateway/index.js
index 9500c1a..8c6106d 100644
--- a/brainlet/api/v2/gateway/index.js
+++ b/brainlet/api/v2/gateway/index.js
@@ -19,12 +19,19 @@ const wsCloseCodes = {
     NO_PING: [4008, "No ping"],
 };
 
+const roles = {
+    PRESENCE_UPDATES: "PRESENCE_UPDATES"
+};
+
+const supportedRoles = [roles.PRESENCE_UPDATES];
+
 class GatewaySession {
     constructor() {
         this.authenticated = false;
         this.user = null;
         this.token = null;
         this.sessionId = uuid.v4();
+        this.roles = [];
 
         // Specific to websocket sessions
         this.isWebsocketConnection = false;
@@ -33,6 +40,11 @@ class GatewaySession {
         this.channels = [];
     }
 
+    hasRole(roleName) {
+        if (roleName.length < 1) return true; // TODO: HACK
+        return this.roles.includes(roleName);
+    }
+
     setWebsocketClient(ws) {
         this.ws = ws;
         this.isWebsocketConnection = true;
@@ -103,7 +115,7 @@ class GatewayHandler {
     handleConnectionClose(ws) {
         if (ws.session && ws.session.user && ws.session.channels) {
             if (this.sessionCounters[ws.session.user._id] <= 1) {
-                this.eachInChannel(ws.session.channels[0], (client) => {
+                this.eachInChannel({channelId: ws.session.channels[0], role: roles.PRESENCE_UPDATES}, (client) => {
                     if (client.session && client.session.isReady()) {
                         client.session.send("EVENT_CHANNEL_MEMBERS", {
                             [ws.session.user._id]: {
@@ -140,10 +152,10 @@ class GatewayHandler {
         return this.wss.clients;
     }
 
-    eachInChannel(channelId, callback) {
+    eachInChannel({channelId, role=""}, callback) {
         const clients = this.getClients();
         clients.forEach((client) => {
-            if (client.session && client.session.isReady() && client.session.channels.includes(channelId))
+            if (client.session && client.session.isReady() && client.session.hasRole(role) && client.session.channels.includes(channelId))
                 callback(client);
         });
     }
@@ -161,20 +173,28 @@ class GatewayHandler {
         const channels = (await Channel.find().lean().sort({ _id: -1 }).limit(50).select("-posts -__v").populate("creator", User.getPulicFields(true))) || [];
         session.channels = channels.map(x => x._id.toString());
 
+        if (data.roles) {
+            if (!Array.isArray(data.roles) || data.roles.length > 8) return {error: wsCloseCodes.PAYLOAD_ERROR};
+            for (let i = 0; i < data.roles; i++) {
+                if (!supportedRoles.includes(data[i])) return {error: wsCloseCodes.PAYLOAD_ERROR};
+            }
+            session.roles = data.roles;
+        }
+
         session.send("YOO_ACK", { session_id: session.sessionId, channels, user: { username: session.user.username, _id: session.user._id }, __global_experiments: experiments });
 
         const channel = session.channels[0];
         if (channel) {
             const presence = {};
 
-            this.eachInChannel(channel, ({ session: remoteSession }) => {
+            this.eachInChannel({channelId: channel}, ({ session: remoteSession }) => {
                 presence[remoteSession.user._id] = {
                     _id: remoteSession.user._id,
                     username: remoteSession.user.username,
                     status: 1,
                     status_text: "Online"
                 };
-                if (remoteSession.sessionId !== session.sessionId) {
+                if (remoteSession.sessionId !== session.sessionId && remoteSession.hasRole(roles.PRESENCE_UPDATES)) {
                     remoteSession.send("EVENT_CHANNEL_MEMBERS", {
                         [session.user._id]: {
                             _id: session.user._id,
@@ -186,7 +206,7 @@ class GatewayHandler {
                 }
             });
 
-            session.send("EVENT_CHANNEL_MEMBERS", presence);
+            (session.hasRole(roles.PRESENCE_UPDATES)) && session.send("EVENT_CHANNEL_MEMBERS", presence);
         }
     }
 
@@ -204,13 +224,13 @@ class GatewayHandler {
         if (typeof data.content !== "string" || typeof data.channel !== "object" || typeof data.channel._id !== "string") throw new Error("msg: invalid fields in json payload");
         
         const messageContent = data.content.trim();
-        if (messageContent.length > 2000 || messageContent === "") return;
+        if (messageContent.length > 2000 || messageContent.length < 1) return;
         if (data.channel._id.length !== 24) throw new Error("msg: payload has invalid id"); // MONGODB ONLY!!
 
         // Check if the user is in that channel before broadcasting the message
         if (!session.channels.includes(data.channel._id)) return {error: wsCloseCodes.NOT_AUTHORIZED};
 
-        this.eachInChannel(data.channel._id, ({ session: remoteSession }) => {
+        this.eachInChannel({channelId: data.channel._id}, ({ session: remoteSession }) => {
             remoteSession.send("EVENT_CREATE_MESSAGE", {
                 content: messageContent,
                 channel: {
diff --git a/resources/Docs/DOCS.md b/resources/Docs/DOCS.md
index 216bb93..c2dbdb5 100644
--- a/resources/Docs/DOCS.md
+++ b/resources/Docs/DOCS.md
@@ -43,10 +43,11 @@ JSON data format:
 | Field | Description |
 | - | - |
 | token | The authentication token |
+| roles | An array of attributes the client wants the server to enable. The current possible values are: `PRESENCE_UPDATES` (required for presence updates to be sent to the client) |
 
 Example:
 ```json
-1@{"token":"my totally real token"}
+1@{"token":"my totally real token","roles":["PRESENCE_UPDATES"]}
 ```
 
 If the token is invalid, or the connection is otherwise rejected, the client should be disconnected as soon as possible, and no YOO\_ACK should be sent.
@@ -97,6 +98,8 @@ JSON data format:
 
 Sent by the client when updating status. Usually, this packet is sent as soon as possible after getting YOO\_ACK to indicate the client is online.
 
+**This packet is deprecated and reserved for future use**
+
 JSON data format:
 | Field | Description |
 | - | - |
@@ -114,6 +117,8 @@ Example:
 
 An object containing a list of user presences which were updated, where the keys are the user ids and the values are [user presence objects](#user-presence-object).
 
+**This packet is only sent if the user has `PRESENCE_UPDATES` in their `roles`, specified in YOO.**
+
 Example:
 ```json
 6@{"userid":{_id:"userid",username:"username123",status:1,status_text:"hello"}}