Admins who read members private messages

[D]

Well recently I fell victim to somebody reading my private messages via some sort of addon on their forum. They read my PM and didn't like what I said so they confronted me about it and basically attacked me. This was minutes after I had sent the pm and it hadn't even left my outbox.

What do you think of forum admins who invade their members privacy and read their private messages?

I think it is disgusting, It has made me lose all trust in private messages actually remaining private.

 

[Luke]

I don't mind if they read them and have the addon installed, but they should only read them if it's been reported and they need to see if the member has been spamming over PM etc...

 

[D]

Don't you think having the addon installed will tempt them to abuse it? That certainly seemed the case in my situation. The forum Admin had no reason to read my messages at all, nor did I do anything wrong.

 

[Darthmaul]

I think it is disgusting, It has made me lose all trust in private messages actually remaining private.

I would have to agree with that. I'm fairly certain you could nab them legally with something like: "Invading one's privacy without probable cause".

 

[Jake]

Unless it is in their terms of use:

"We as administrators of *site name* possess every right to view anything private you send via our forum software."

Or something similar.

If it doesn't, you can nab them with the legal term aforementioned.

 

[Luke]

I don't care really, I'm not passing secret information about overthrowing the forum and defeating the whole world. 😛

 

[Jake]

I am :roll:

 

[karoshio]

It definitely kills the private is private messages and I would never do it,

I would only do it if there was something like a report of a scam or abuse.

 

[Watch Me Sink]

It definitely kills the private is private messages and I would never do it,

I would only do it if there was something like a report of a scam or abuse.

Which should be reported, and then you would be able to see the message without using an addon or whatnot.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I am against the reading of PMs. That is one thing I like about the SMF software, no one there seems to be interested in making it easy to read Private Messages.

I have the "report PM" feature enabled, people can report it if its bad and then it is okay since there was a potential violation. However just reading it without a violation is....well pretty wrong IMO.

 

[Watch Me Sink]

I am against the reading of PMs. That is one thing I like about the SMF software, no one there seems to be interested in making it easy to read Private Messages.

I have the "report PM" feature enabled, people can report it if its bad and then it is okay since there was a potential violation. However just reading it without a violation is....well pretty wrong IMO.

There was a MOD for SMF that was put up then taken down by the devs and put back up on a private site.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I am against the reading of PMs. That is one thing I like about the SMF software, no one there seems to be interested in making it easy to read Private Messages.

I have the "report PM" feature enabled, people can report it if its bad and then it is okay since there was a potential violation. However just reading it without a violation is....well pretty wrong IMO.

There was a MOD for SMF that was put up then taken down by the devs and put back up on a private site.

That is what a member of one of my forums told me. But when people ask sm.org about reading PMs, none of the support staff attempt to answer it and that is what I like 🙂 they could of said, you can see them on any forum (most of the time) by looking at the database but by not saying that, they support the opinion that it is wrong and I think that is great! 😀

 

[Richard Hayes]

There is a mod for phpBB and it is used on a well known phpBB run promotion forum.

 

[Geoffrey]

There is a mod for phpBB and it is used on a well known phpBB run promotion forum.

You wouldn't be referring to this board, would you?

 

[D]

I do not think he is referring to FP, I think he is referring to the forum on which my privacy was violated.

 

[Geoffrey]

I do not think he is referring to FP, I think he is referring to the forum on which my privacy was violated.

Ah, it just sounded like he was talking about here by his description. Read it wrong, I suppose.

As for the topic at hand, if you think you're going to have any case in court, you're wrong. Unless the admin actually found personal information about you via the PM, you have no case. Unless you suffered harm or duress in some way, there's no suit available.

Most sites say either in their Rules or in their PM Compose screen that PMs will be logged and you shouldn't share any personal information (which you should never do anyways honestly). They are required by law to have that message present somewhere where it's noticeable, but once again, unless you suffered loss or harm in some way, you won't get anything done in court about it except maybe get them to put up a notice.

 

[Watch Me Sink]

They are required by law to have that message present somewhere where it's noticeable,

In what country?

 

[GAF]

I know private messages should be private but I do not mind staff reading mine as I do not say anything private in them really.

 

[D]

It does sound like FP, but it isn't. RJH knows what forum did this, thats why I said he is referring to the one who violated my privacy.

I am not wanting to take this to court, I wouldn't waste my time and money taking this snake to court.

I just read their privacy policy which funnily enough says "Your privacy is important to us." and there is no mention of then being allowed to read members private messages at all.

The fact is that they did it in the first place, they actively read members private messages for no reason at all. I had never done anything on that forum to sound alarm bells, I didn't break the rules or do anything wrong by sending the message but the admin did not like what I said and decided to confront me about it. Which blew their cover.

The message contained details of a project I might be starting too, Which the admin has told multiple people about. Which to me, Is a further slap in the face.

 

[Geoffrey]

They are required by law to have that message present somewhere where it's noticeable,

In what country?

USA for sure, I'm sure some other advanced nations have similar laws.