diff --git a/lib/shared/protocol-names.js b/lib/shared/protocol-names.js
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/shared/protocol-names.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// @flow
+
+export const protocolNames = Object.freeze({
+  COMM_DM: 'Comm DM',
+  FARCASTER_DC: 'Farcaster DC',
+  KEYSERVER: 'Keyserver',
+});
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 } from '../../dm-ops/dm-op-types.js';
 import { getIDFromLocalID } from '../../id-utils.js';
 import { messageNotifyTypes } from '../../messages/message-spec.js';
+import { protocolNames } from '../../protocol-names.js';
 import {
   createThreadTimestamps,
   getContainingThreadID,
@@ -902,6 +903,10 @@
       webChatThreadListIcon: 'lock',
       threadAncestorLabel: () => 'Local DM',
       threadSearchHeaderShowsGenesis: false,
+      protocolIcon: 'lock',
+      description:
+        'Comm DMs are end-to-end encrypted and stored locally on your ' +
+        'device for maximum privacy.',
     },
 
     supportsEncryptedMultimedia: true,
@@ -937,6 +942,7 @@
     },
     supportsBackgroundNotifs: true,
     viewerCanUpdateOwnRole: false,
+    protocolName: protocolNames.COMM_DM,
   });
 
 function pendingThreadType(numberOfOtherMembers: number) {
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
   farcasterThreadIDFromConversationID,
 } from '../../id-utils.js';
 import { messageNotifyTypes } from '../../messages/message-spec.js';
+import { protocolNames } from '../../protocol-names.js';
 import {
   getContainingThreadID,
   getSingleOtherUser,
@@ -768,6 +769,11 @@
     webChatThreadListIcon: 'lock',
     threadAncestorLabel: () => 'Farcaster DC',
     threadSearchHeaderShowsGenesis: false,
+    protocolIcon: 'farcaster',
+    description:
+      'Farcaster Direct Casts are the native messaging protocol in ' +
+      'Farcaster. They are not end-to-end encrypted, and the Farcaster ' +
+      'team can see the contents of your messages.',
   },
 
   supportsEncryptedMultimedia: false,
@@ -792,14 +798,12 @@
   },
   supportsBackgroundNotifs: false,
   viewerCanUpdateOwnRole: false,
+
+  protocolName: protocolNames.FARCASTER_DC,
 };
 
 function pendingThreadType(numberOfOtherMembers: number) {
-  invariant(
-    numberOfOtherMembers > 0,
-    'Farcaster protocol does not support private thread type',
-  );
-  if (numberOfOtherMembers === 1) {
+  if (numberOfOtherMembers <= 1) {
     return threadTypes.FARCASTER_PERSONAL;
   } else {
     return threadTypes.FARCASTER_GROUP;
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
 import { generatePendingThreadColor } from '../../color-utils.js';
 import { getNextLocalID } from '../../id-utils.js';
 import { messageNotifyTypes } from '../../messages/message-spec.js';
+import { protocolNames } from '../../protocol-names.js';
 import {
   getCommunity,
   getContainingThreadID,
@@ -704,6 +705,11 @@
       webChatThreadListIcon: 'server',
       threadAncestorLabel: (ancestorPath: React.Node) => ancestorPath,
       threadSearchHeaderShowsGenesis: true,
+      protocolIcon: 'server',
+      description:
+        "Genesis chats are a legacy chat type hosted on Ashoat's keyserver. " +
+        'They are not end-to-end encrypted, and Ashoat can see the contents ' +
+        'of your messages.',
     },
 
     supportsEncryptedMultimedia: true,
@@ -740,6 +746,7 @@
     },
     supportsBackgroundNotifs: true,
     viewerCanUpdateOwnRole: true,
+    protocolName: protocolNames.KEYSERVER,
   });
 
 function pendingThreadType(numberOfOtherMembers: number) {
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/thread-protocols.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/thread-protocols.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/thread-protocols.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/thread-protocols.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import { keyserverThreadProtocol } from './keyserver-thread-protocol.js';
 import type { RawThreadInfo } from '../../../types/minimally-encoded-thread-permissions-types.js';
 import { type LegacyRawThreadInfo } from '../../../types/thread-types.js';
-import { type ThreadProtocol } from '../thread-spec.js';
+import { type ThreadProtocol, type ProtocolName } from '../thread-spec.js';
 import { threadSpecs } from '../thread-specs.js';
 
 const protocols = (): $ReadOnlyArray<ThreadProtocol<any>> => [
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
   return protocols().find(p => p.threadIDMatchesProtocol(threadID));
 }
 
+function getProtocolByName(name: ?ProtocolName): ?ThreadProtocol<any> {
+  return protocols().find(p => p.protocolName === name);
+}
+
 function getDataIsBackedUpByThread(
   threadID: string,
   threadInfo: ?(LegacyRawThreadInfo | RawThreadInfo),
@@ -28,4 +32,9 @@
   return !!getProtocolByThreadID(threadID)?.dataIsBackedUp;
 }
 
-export { protocols, getProtocolByThreadID, getDataIsBackedUpByThread };
+export {
+  protocols,
+  getProtocolByThreadID,
+  getDataIsBackedUpByThread,
+  getProtocolByName,
+};
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js b/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
@@ -363,6 +363,8 @@
   +farcasterRefreshConversation: (conversationID: string) => Promise<mixed>,
 };
 
+export type ProtocolName = 'Comm DM' | 'Farcaster DC' | 'Keyserver';
+
 export type ThreadProtocol<
   RawThreadMemberType:
     | MemberInfoSansPermissions
@@ -476,6 +478,8 @@
     +webChatThreadListIcon: 'lock' | 'server',
     +threadAncestorLabel: (ancestorPath: React.Node) => React.Node,
     +threadSearchHeaderShowsGenesis: boolean,
+    +protocolIcon: 'lock' | 'server' | 'farcaster',
+    +description: string,
   },
   +supportsEncryptedMultimedia: boolean,
   +supportsSendingVideos: boolean,
@@ -511,6 +515,7 @@
   },
   +supportsBackgroundNotifs: boolean,
   +viewerCanUpdateOwnRole: boolean,
+  +protocolName: ProtocolName,
 };
 
 export type ThreadSpec<
diff --git a/lib/utils/alert-utils.js b/lib/utils/alert-utils.js
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/utils/alert-utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// @flow
+
+export const protocolInfoAlert = {
+  title: 'No Available Protocols',
+  message: 'This is the only chat type supported by the selected users.',
+};