diff --git a/spacetimedb/src/index.ts b/spacetimedb/src/index.ts
index 02f73b9..bf5c425 100644
--- a/spacetimedb/src/index.ts
+++ b/spacetimedb/src/index.ts
@@ -396,6 +396,17 @@ const typing_activity = table(
   },
 );
 
+const system_configuration = table(
+  {
+    name: "system_configuration",
+    public: true,
+  },
+  {
+    key: t.string().primaryKey(),
+    value: t.string(),
+  },
+);
+
 const spacetimedb = schema({
   user,
   server,
@@ -417,6 +428,7 @@ const spacetimedb = schema({
   custom_emoji,
   image,
   typing_activity,
+  system_configuration,
 });
 export default spacetimedb;
 
@@ -425,6 +437,18 @@ function validateName(name: string) {
     throw new SenderError("Names must not be empty");
 }
 
+function validateMessageLength(ctx: any, text: string) {
+  const maxLengthConf = ctx.db.system_configuration.key.find("max_message_length");
+  const maxLength = maxLengthConf ? parseInt(maxLengthConf.value) : 262144;
+
+  
+  // Approximate byte length check
+  const byteLength = new TextEncoder().encode(text).length;
+  if (byteLength > maxLength) {
+    throw new SenderError(`Message exceeds maximum length of ${maxLength} bytes (${Math.round(maxLength / 1024)}KB).`);
+  }
+}
+
 export const set_typing = spacetimedb.reducer(
   { channelId: t.u64(), typing: t.bool() },
   (ctx, { channelId, typing }) => {
@@ -996,6 +1020,19 @@ function clearSignalingForUser(ctx: any, identity: any) {
     ctx.db.screen_ice_candidate.id.delete(row.id);
 }
 
+export const set_configuration = spacetimedb.reducer(
+  { key: t.string(), value: t.string() },
+  (ctx, { key, value }) => {
+    // Basic auth check: only a known 'admin' or perhaps just anyone for now as requested
+    const existing = ctx.db.system_configuration.key.find(key);
+    if (existing) {
+      ctx.db.system_configuration.key.update({ key, value });
+    } else {
+      ctx.db.system_configuration.insert({ key, value });
+    }
+  }
+);
+
 export const create_thread = spacetimedb.reducer(
   { name: t.string(), channelId: t.u64(), parentMessageId: t.u64() },
   (ctx, { name, channelId, parentMessageId }) => {
@@ -1068,6 +1105,10 @@ export const send_message = spacetimedb.reducer(
     if ((!text || text.trim().length === 0) && imageIds.length === 0)
       throw new SenderError("Messages must not be empty");
 
+    if (text) {
+      validateMessageLength(ctx, text);
+    }
+
     const user = ctx.db.user.identity.find(ctx.sender);
     if (!user || !user.subject) {
       throw new SenderError("You must be logged in via OIDC to send messages");
@@ -1093,6 +1134,10 @@ export const send_message = spacetimedb.reducer(
 );
 
 export const init = spacetimedb.init((ctx) => {
+  if (!ctx.db.system_configuration.key.find("max_message_length")) {
+    ctx.db.system_configuration.insert({ key: "max_message_length", value: "262144" });
+  }
+
   let hasServers = false;
   for (const _server of ctx.db.server.iter()) {
     hasServers = true;
diff --git a/src/chat/ChatContainer.svelte b/src/chat/ChatContainer.svelte
index 094b937..37031e6 100644
--- a/src/chat/ChatContainer.svelte
+++ b/src/chat/ChatContainer.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { useSpacetimeDB } from "spacetimedb/svelte";
-  import { setContext, onMount } from "svelte";
+  import { setContext } from "svelte";
   import { ChatService } from "./services/chat.svelte";
   import { WebRTCService } from "./services/webrtc/webrtc.svelte";
   import ServerList from "./components/ServerList.svelte";
diff --git a/src/chat/components/ChatInput.svelte b/src/chat/components/ChatInput.svelte
index 350330d..b92aa8d 100644
--- a/src/chat/components/ChatInput.svelte
+++ b/src/chat/components/ChatInput.svelte
@@ -175,6 +175,12 @@
     const currentText = messageText;
     const currentStaged = [...stagedImages];
 
+    const byteLength = new TextEncoder().encode(currentText).length;
+    if (byteLength > chat.maxMessageLength) {
+      uploadError = `Message exceeds maximum length of ${chat.maxMessageLength} bytes (${Math.round(chat.maxMessageLength / 1024)}KB).`;
+      return;
+    }
+
     isUploading = true;
     uploadError = null;
 
diff --git a/src/chat/components/ProfileModal.svelte b/src/chat/components/ProfileModal.svelte
index fa2b2f7..b0b817e 100644
--- a/src/chat/components/ProfileModal.svelte
+++ b/src/chat/components/ProfileModal.svelte
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 <div class="profile-overlay" onclick={handleOverlayClick} role="presentation">
   <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
   <div class="profile-modal" onclick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()} role="presentation">
-    <div class="profile-banner" style="background-image: {bannerUrl ? `url(${bannerUrl})` : 'none'}; background-color: {bannerUrl ? 'transparent' : 'var(--brand)'};">
+    <div class="profile-banner" style="background-image: {bannerUrl ? `url(${bannerUrl})` : 'none'}; background-color: {bannerUrl ? 'transparent' : 'var(--background-tertiary)'};">
       <button class="close-btn" onclick={onClose} aria-label="Close profile">
         <i class="fas fa-times"></i>
       </button>
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
   }
 
   .profile-banner {
-    height: 120px;
+    height: 140px;
     position: relative;
     background-size: cover;
     background-position: center;
diff --git a/src/chat/components/settings/AccountSettings.svelte b/src/chat/components/settings/AccountSettings.svelte
index bb29bd5..ad762b3 100644
--- a/src/chat/components/settings/AccountSettings.svelte
+++ b/src/chat/components/settings/AccountSettings.svelte
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 </script>
 
 <div class="account-profile-card">
-  <div class="profile-banner" style="background-image: {bannerPreview ? `url(${bannerPreview})` : 'none'}; background-color: {bannerPreview ? 'transparent' : 'var(--brand)'};">
+  <div class="profile-banner" style="background-image: {bannerPreview ? `url(${bannerPreview})` : 'none'}; background-color: {bannerPreview ? 'transparent' : 'var(--background-tertiary)'};">
     <label class="banner-upload-overlay">
       <i class="fas fa-camera"></i>
       <span>Change Banner</span>
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
   }
 
   .profile-banner {
-    height: 100px;
+    height: 140px;
     background-size: cover;
     background-position: center;
     position: relative;
diff --git a/src/chat/components/settings/ScreenSharingSettings.svelte b/src/chat/components/settings/ScreenSharingSettings.svelte
index e954c8c..07be08d 100644
--- a/src/chat/components/settings/ScreenSharingSettings.svelte
+++ b/src/chat/components/settings/ScreenSharingSettings.svelte
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { getContext } from "svelte";
-  import type { ChatService } from "../../services/chat.svelte";
   import type { WebRTCService } from "../../services/webrtc/webrtc.svelte";
 
-  const chat = getContext<ChatService>("chat");
   const webrtc = getContext<WebRTCService>("webrtc");
 
   const resolutions = [
@@ -29,7 +27,7 @@
 
 <div class="settings-section">
   <div class="section-title">Screen Share Quality</div>
-  
+
   <div class="form-group">
     <label for="resolution">Resolution</label>
     <select id="resolution" bind:value={webrtc.localMedia.screenShareResolution}>
diff --git a/src/chat/services/chat.svelte.ts b/src/chat/services/chat.svelte.ts
index 70ff768..866774f 100644
--- a/src/chat/services/chat.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/chat/services/chat.svelte.ts
@@ -273,6 +273,11 @@ export class ChatService {
     return this.#db.isUsersReady;
   }
 
+  get maxMessageLength() {
+    const config = this.#db.systemConfiguration.find(c => c.key === "max_message_length");
+    return config ? parseInt(config.value) : 262144;
+  }
+
   // Auth Context
   get currentUser() {
     return this.#auth.currentUser;
diff --git a/src/chat/services/database.svelte.ts b/src/chat/services/database.svelte.ts
index 0162d61..6c9bfb4 100644
--- a/src/chat/services/database.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/chat/services/database.svelte.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export class DatabaseService {
   voiceActivity = $state<readonly Types.VoiceActivity[]>([]);
   typingActivity = $state<readonly Types.TypingActivity[]>([]);
   watching = $state<readonly Types.Watching[]>([]);
+  systemConfiguration = $state<readonly Types.SystemConfiguration[]>([]);
   isUsersReady = $state(false);
 
   constructor() {
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ export class DatabaseService {
     const [voiceActivityStore] = useTable(tables.voice_activity);
     const [typingActivityStore] = useTable(tables.typing_activity);
     const [watchingStore] = useTable(tables.watching);
+    const [systemConfigStore] = useTable(tables.system_configuration);
 
     serversStore.subscribe((v) => (this.servers = v));
     channelsStore.subscribe((v) => (this.channels = v));
@@ -44,5 +46,6 @@ export class DatabaseService {
     voiceActivityStore.subscribe((v) => (this.voiceActivity = v));
     typingActivityStore.subscribe((v) => (this.typingActivity = v));
     watchingStore.subscribe((v) => (this.watching = v));
+    systemConfigStore.subscribe((v) => (this.systemConfiguration = v));
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts b/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts
index a50894d..90f6067 100644
--- a/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export class MessagingService {
       if (!conn) return;
 
       untrack(() => {
-        const queries = ["SELECT * FROM server", "SELECT * FROM custom_emoji"];
+        const queries = ["SELECT * FROM server", "SELECT * FROM custom_emoji", "SELECT * FROM system_configuration"];
 
         // 1. Surgical Membership & Identity Pruning
         if (identity) {
diff --git a/src/chat/services/webrtc/local-media.svelte.ts b/src/chat/services/webrtc/local-media.svelte.ts
index 794cce1..8205c21 100644
--- a/src/chat/services/webrtc/local-media.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/chat/services/webrtc/local-media.svelte.ts
@@ -373,7 +373,9 @@ export class LocalMediaService {
       this.localScreenStream.getTracks().forEach((t) => t.stop());
       this.localScreenStream = null;
       this.#setSharingScreen({ sharing: false });
+      sounds.playStopWatching();
       onTrackCleared(null);
     }
   };
 }
+
diff --git a/src/chat/services/webrtc/webrtc.svelte.ts b/src/chat/services/webrtc/webrtc.svelte.ts
index 53d4ff2..ec83376 100644
--- a/src/chat/services/webrtc/webrtc.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/chat/services/webrtc/webrtc.svelte.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,37 @@ export class WebRTCService {
       this.localMedia.localScreenStream,
     );
 
+    // Sound for streams I am watching
+    let lastWatched = new Set<string>();
+    $effect(() => {
+      const currentWatched = new Set(
+        this.watching
+          .filter((w) => this.identity && w.watcher.isEqual(this.identity))
+          .map((w) => w.watchee.toHexString()),
+      );
+
+      if (this.identity) {
+        // I started watching someone (manual or auto)
+        for (const watchee of currentWatched) {
+          if (!lastWatched.has(watchee)) {
+            untrack(() => {
+              sounds.playStartWatching();
+            });
+          }
+        }
+
+        // I stopped watching someone (or they stopped sharing)
+        for (const watchee of lastWatched) {
+          if (!currentWatched.has(watchee)) {
+            untrack(() => {
+              sounds.playStopWatching();
+            });
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      lastWatched = currentWatched;
+    });
+
     // Sync state to sub-services
     $effect(() => {
       this.localMedia.connectedChannelId = this.connectedChannelId;
@@ -132,7 +163,6 @@ export class WebRTCService {
 
   startWatching = (peerIdentity: Identity) => {
     if (this.connectedChannelId) {
-      sounds.playStartWatching();
       this.#startWatchingReducer({
         watchee: peerIdentity,
         channelId: this.connectedChannelId,
@@ -141,7 +171,6 @@ export class WebRTCService {
   };
 
   stopWatching = (peerIdentity: Identity) => {
-    sounds.playStopWatching();
     this.#stopWatchingReducer({ watchee: peerIdentity });
   };