A method, an apparatus, a system, and a computer program product are presented for managing availability status values in an instant messaging application. A user of the instant messaging application is able to select a "do not disturb" status that is to be associated with the user, thereby preventing most users from being able to initiate an instant messaging session with the user. In addition, the user of the instant messaging application can selectively authorize a subset of users to have the privilege of being able to start instant messaging sessions with the user while maintaining an indication to all other users that the user is in a "do not disturb" status.