diff --git a/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/api/requests/accounts/GetPreferences.java b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/api/requests/accounts/GetPreferences.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8d5d79e94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/api/requests/accounts/GetPreferences.java
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package org.joinmastodon.android.api.requests.accounts;
+
+import org.joinmastodon.android.api.MastodonAPIRequest;
+import org.joinmastodon.android.model.Preferences;
+
+public class GetPreferences extends MastodonAPIRequest<Preferences> {
+    public GetPreferences(){
+        super(HttpMethod.GET, "/preferences", Preferences.class);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/fragments/ComposeFragment.java b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/fragments/ComposeFragment.java
index 1002788b5..df0be65dd 100644
--- a/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/fragments/ComposeFragment.java
+++ b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/fragments/ComposeFragment.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ import org.joinmastodon.android.R;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.api.MastodonAPIController;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.api.MastodonErrorResponse;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.api.ProgressListener;
+import org.joinmastodon.android.api.requests.accounts.GetPreferences;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.api.requests.statuses.CreateStatus;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.api.requests.statuses.EditStatus;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.api.requests.statuses.GetAttachmentByID;
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ import org.joinmastodon.android.model.EmojiCategory;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.model.Instance;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.model.Mention;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.model.Poll;
+import org.joinmastodon.android.model.Preferences;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.model.Status;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.model.StatusPrivacy;
 import org.joinmastodon.android.ui.ComposeAutocompleteViewController;
@@ -224,13 +226,7 @@ public class ComposeFragment extends MastodonToolbarFragment implements OnBackPr
 		else
 			charLimit=500;
 
-		if(getArguments().containsKey("replyTo")){
-			replyTo=Parcels.unwrap(getArguments().getParcelable("replyTo"));
-			statusVisibility=replyTo.visibility;
-		}
-		if(savedInstanceState!=null){
-			statusVisibility=(StatusPrivacy) savedInstanceState.getSerializable("visibility");
-		}
+		loadDefaultStatusVisibility(savedInstanceState);
 	}
 
 	@Override
@@ -1276,6 +1272,47 @@ public class ComposeFragment extends MastodonToolbarFragment implements OnBackPr
 		menu.show();
 	}
 
+	private void loadDefaultStatusVisibility(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
+		if(getArguments().containsKey("replyTo")){
+			replyTo=Parcels.unwrap(getArguments().getParcelable("replyTo"));
+			statusVisibility = replyTo.visibility;
+		}
+
+		// A saved privacy setting from a previous compose session wins over the reply visibility
+		if(savedInstanceState !=null){
+			statusVisibility = (StatusPrivacy) savedInstanceState.getSerializable("visibility");
+		}
+
+		new GetPreferences()
+				.setCallback(new Callback<>(){
+					@Override
+					public void onSuccess(Preferences result){
+						// Only override the reply visibility if our preference is more private
+						if (result.postingDefaultVisibility.isLessVisibleThan(statusVisibility)) {
+							// Map unlisted from the API onto public, because we don't have unlisted in the UI
+							statusVisibility = switch (result.postingDefaultVisibility) {
+								case PUBLIC, UNLISTED -> StatusPrivacy.PUBLIC;
+								case PRIVATE -> StatusPrivacy.PRIVATE;
+								case DIRECT -> StatusPrivacy.DIRECT;
+							};
+						}
+
+						// A saved privacy setting from a previous compose session wins over all
+						if(savedInstanceState !=null){
+							statusVisibility = (StatusPrivacy) savedInstanceState.getSerializable("visibility");
+						}
+
+						updateVisibilityIcon ();
+					}
+
+					@Override
+					public void onError(ErrorResponse error){
+						Log.w(TAG, "Unable to get user preferences to set default post privacy");
+					}
+				})
+				.exec(accountID);
+	}
+
 	private void updateVisibilityIcon(){
 		if(statusVisibility==null){ // TODO find out why this happens
 			statusVisibility=StatusPrivacy.PUBLIC;
diff --git a/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/ExpandMedia.java b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/ExpandMedia.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..215341122
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/ExpandMedia.java
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package org.joinmastodon.android.model;
+
+import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
+
+public enum ExpandMedia {
+    @SerializedName("default")
+    DEFAULT,
+    @SerializedName("show_all")
+    SHOW_ALL,
+    @SerializedName("hide_all")
+    HIDE_ALL;
+}
diff --git a/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/Preferences.java b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/Preferences.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c5ee8c9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/Preferences.java
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package org.joinmastodon.android.model;
+
+import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
+
+/**
+ * Preferred common behaviors to be shared across clients.
+ */
+public class Preferences extends BaseModel {
+    /**
+     * Default visibility for new posts
+     */
+    @SerializedName("posting:default:visibility")
+    public StatusPrivacy postingDefaultVisibility;
+
+    /**
+     * Default sensitivity flag for new posts
+     */
+    @SerializedName("posting:default:sensitive")
+    public boolean postingDefaultSensitive;
+
+    /**
+     * Default language for new posts
+     */
+    @SerializedName("posting:default:language")
+    public String postingDefaultLanguage;
+
+    /**
+     * Whether media attachments should be automatically displayed or blurred/hidden.
+     */
+    @SerializedName("reading:expand:media")
+    public ExpandMedia readingExpandMedia;
+
+    /**
+     * Whether CWs should be expanded by default.
+     */
+    @SerializedName("reading:expand:spoilers")
+    public boolean readingExpandSpoilers;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/StatusPrivacy.java b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/StatusPrivacy.java
index fd205e960..cb8d6a0e5 100644
--- a/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/StatusPrivacy.java
+++ b/mastodon/src/main/java/org/joinmastodon/android/model/StatusPrivacy.java
@@ -4,11 +4,25 @@ import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
 
 public enum StatusPrivacy{
 	@SerializedName("public")
-	PUBLIC,
+	PUBLIC(0),
 	@SerializedName("unlisted")
-	UNLISTED,
+	UNLISTED(1),
 	@SerializedName("private")
-	PRIVATE,
+	PRIVATE(2),
 	@SerializedName("direct")
-	DIRECT;
+	DIRECT(3);
+
+	private int privacy;
+
+	StatusPrivacy(int privacy) {
+		this.privacy = privacy;
+	}
+
+	public boolean isLessVisibleThan(StatusPrivacy other) {
+		return privacy > other.getPrivacy();
+	}
+
+	public int getPrivacy() {
+		return privacy;
+	}
 }