diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js
index 7cbfe463a..de030b7a2 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ import Icon from 'mastodon/components/icon';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   public_short: { id: 'privacy.public.short', defaultMessage: 'Public' },
-  public_long: { id: 'privacy.public.long', defaultMessage: 'Post to public timelines' },
+  public_long: { id: 'privacy.public.long', defaultMessage: 'Visible for all, shown in public timelines' },
   unlisted_short: { id: 'privacy.unlisted.short', defaultMessage: 'Unlisted' },
-  unlisted_long: { id: 'privacy.unlisted.long', defaultMessage: 'Do not show in public timelines' },
+  unlisted_long: { id: 'privacy.unlisted.long', defaultMessage: 'Visible for all, but not in public timelines' },
   private_short: { id: 'privacy.private.short', defaultMessage: 'Followers-only' },
-  private_long: { id: 'privacy.private.long', defaultMessage: 'Post to followers only' },
+  private_long: { id: 'privacy.private.long', defaultMessage: 'Visible for followers only' },
   direct_short: { id: 'privacy.direct.short', defaultMessage: 'Direct' },
-  direct_long: { id: 'privacy.direct.long', defaultMessage: 'Post to mentioned users only' },
+  direct_long: { id: 'privacy.direct.long', defaultMessage: 'Visible for mentioned users only' },
   change_privacy: { id: 'privacy.change', defaultMessage: 'Adjust status privacy' },
 });
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
index 4c1fe94c5..d35fb9eb5 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
@@ -1073,7 +1073,7 @@
         "id": "privacy.public.short"
       },
       {
-        "defaultMessage": "Post to public timelines",
+        "defaultMessage": "Visible for all, shown in public timelines",
         "id": "privacy.public.long"
       },
       {
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@
         "id": "privacy.unlisted.short"
       },
       {
-        "defaultMessage": "Do not show in public timelines",
+        "defaultMessage": "Visible for all, but not in public timelines",
         "id": "privacy.unlisted.long"
       },
       {
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@
         "id": "privacy.private.short"
       },
       {
-        "defaultMessage": "Post to followers only",
+        "defaultMessage": "Visible for followers only",
         "id": "privacy.private.long"
       },
       {
@@ -1097,7 +1097,7 @@
         "id": "privacy.direct.short"
       },
       {
-        "defaultMessage": "Post to mentioned users only",
+        "defaultMessage": "Visible for mentioned users only",
         "id": "privacy.direct.long"
       },
       {
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
index fff449a51..7457bc3ad 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
@@ -319,13 +319,13 @@
   "poll_button.add_poll": "Add a poll",
   "poll_button.remove_poll": "Remove poll",
   "privacy.change": "Adjust status privacy",
-  "privacy.direct.long": "Post to mentioned users only",
+  "privacy.direct.long": "Visible for mentioned users only",
   "privacy.direct.short": "Direct",
-  "privacy.private.long": "Post to followers only",
+  "privacy.private.long": "Visible for followers only",
   "privacy.private.short": "Followers-only",
-  "privacy.public.long": "Post to public timelines",
+  "privacy.public.long": "Visible for all, shown in public timelines",
   "privacy.public.short": "Public",
-  "privacy.unlisted.long": "Do not post to public timelines",
+  "privacy.unlisted.long": "Visible for all, but not in public timelines",
   "privacy.unlisted.short": "Unlisted",
   "refresh": "Refresh",
   "regeneration_indicator.label": "Loading…",