A method for managing a set of electronic messages that are associated with a plurality of electronic conversations each having a plurality of participants (310, 312, 314), the method comprising: receiving a first electronic message of an electronic conversation and, in response, processing (908; 912; 916) the first electronic message for a first participant of the electronic conversation in accordance with a default procedure, said default procedure comprising placing the first electronic message in a default electronic message presentation collection; receiving a first indication that the electronic conversation has been assigned a conversation participation status by the first participant, the conversation participation status being associated with the first participant with respect to the electronic conversation and indicating a variable level of interest representative of the first participant with respect to participating in the electronic conversation; providing a second indication that the electronic conversation has been assigned the conversation participation status associated with the first participant with respect to the electronic conversation for presentation to at least to a second participant of the electronic conversation; and receiving a second electronic message of the electronic conversation and, in response, processing (1004, 1006) the second electronic message for the first participant in accordance with a non-default procedure, wherein the non-default procedure is selected based at least in part on the conversation participation status associated with the first participant with respect to the electronic conversation; receiving an update with respect to the conversation participation status of the first participant in the electronic conversation; and providing the updated conversation participation status of the first participant to at least the second participant of the electronic conversation. receiving a first electronic message of an electronic conversation and, in response, processing (908; 912; 916) the first electronic message for a first participant of the electronic conversation in accordance with a default procedure, said default procedure comprising placing the first electronic message in a default electronic message presentation collection; receiving a first indication that the electronic conversation has been assigned a conversation participation status by the first participant, the conversation participation status being associated with the first participant with respect to the electronic conversation and indicating a variable level of interest representative of the first participant with respect to participating in the electronic conversation; providing a second indication that the electronic conversation has been assigned the conversation participation status associated with the first participant with respect to the electronic conversation for presentation to at least to a second participant of the electronic conversation; and receiving a second electronic message of the electronic conversation and, in response, processing (1004, 1006) the second electronic message for the first participant in accordance with a non-default procedure, wherein the non-default procedure is selected based at least in part on the conversation participation status associated with the first participant with respect to the electronic conversation; receiving an update with respect to the conversation participation status of the first participant in the electronic conversation; and providing the updated conversation participation status of the first participant to at least the second participant of the electronic conversation.