Do you think Admin should be able to read PMs without permission?

[Deleted member 49125]

I will answer first with a definite NO. PMs can stand for Personal or Private message (depending on who you ask lol) & reading without permission is an invasion of privacy.
This was a topic that was discussed awhile back on other forums. I guess there was a platform (don’t recall which one it was) that allowed Admins to read any & all PMs. That they need a code or access to the database, but that they COULD access all PMs.
I don't think that's right. I know the people I talked to left those forums.

 

[PGen98]

No. Absolutely, unequivocally, totally NO. They're private messages and should be left as such. Now if people report someone for harassing or advertising inappropriately through PM and they send screenshots, I view that as a different matter; however, the average conversation is a completely private, completely personal portion of the site just for those members. There is no reason whatsoever for admins to read those messages.

(Having said that, I do know there are add-ons that will flag messages for certain trigger words or links, and I can understand the use of those, for different reasons, but when it becomes clear that a post has been falsely flagged it should be deleted and left as unread as possible. On sight)

 

[Deleted member 7467]

Seeing as how forum owners own the forums and are liable for what happens on said forum, I see nothing wrong with it. You have no right to privacy on a privately owned forum. Don't send anything you aren't willing to be seen by someone.

 

[Page]

I see good and the bad, what if two users are talking about drugs or talking to each other about hacking the site or in any case illegal. The next day the site owner gets arrested and the site gets shutdown 😛

 

[Deleted member 4320]

Yes they should and in most instances they can because having access to the database means they can read them anyway. Unless they're encrypted, they can just pull them from the database whenever they like.

I believe this because as a site admin you're responsible for what happens on your site, so being able to monitor them is important because if anything bad happens, you can be held to account.

I do think it's also important to note I'm also pro-encryption. This whole 'you don't have any to fear if you have nothing to hide' is stupid. Everyone is entitled to privacy. But in the context of message boards, that is different.

 

[Creaky]

O, only need to see them if a user reports an issue with a message.

 

[JoelR]

The question needs to be flipped back to the admin: what are the terms of use governing your site?

On my site, I make zero mention of "private" messages. I only refer to them as User or Personal Messages, because as site owner I have absolute liability for any and all content posted anywhere on my site, including one on one discussions. Do I make it a point to intrude and read every single personal message? No. But do my site terms allow me to store, retain, and audit all user content including personal messages? Absolutely. A content item is a content item, regardless of where or how it's posted.

At the end of the day, users don't have any rights to privacy, except the ones spelled out by by your terms. It's not a question of morality or privacy, it's a question of legality.

 

[Allan]

As an admin I would I only read a Pm if a user reported something in that message, other than that I have no need to invade privacy.

 

[Pinky]

It's nobody else's business so no.

 

[Page]

Has anyone been to a site that PMs can be read?

Yes, I have, and it was like really. I had a warning point for getting it since that staff member passed it on to other members and they like, We do not like that PM talk.

 

[Ozzy47]

Sure the owner should be able to read PC’s but only when necessary.

 

[Page]

PC’s

I can't read PC's language 😛

 

[Deleted member 49125]

Has anyone been to a site that PMs can be read?

Yes, I have, and it was like really. I had a warning point for getting it since that staff member passed it on to other members and they like, We do not like that PM talk.

I haven't, not that I know of. Sometimes people need to vent some frustration & should be able to do it.
Anybody know if Xenforo, specifically FP does it?

 

[Lee]

I haven't, not that I know of. Sometimes people need to vent some frustration & should be able to do it.
Anybody know if Xenforo, specifically FP does it?

Anybody with database access can read any PM, so any forum you sign up to that is privately owned... They can read your conversations.

 

[Ozzy47]

I can't read PC's language 😛

PC = personal conversation

 

[Deleted member 49125]

Anybody with database access can read any PM, so any forum you sign up to that is privately owned... They can read your conversations.

Thank you for the answer 🙂

 

[USHost247]

I believe that there should be a small expectation of privacy in PMs. If a message is reported, then I believe we should investigate it to the fullest, and privacy is no longer viable.

 

[Deleted member 49125]

I believe that there should be a small expectation of privacy in PMs. If a message is reported, then I believe we should investigate it to the fullest, and privacy is no longer viable.

Reported, yes, but not just to read it because an owner is a dictator lol I've seen that on other forums before awhile back. Sad because the trust is gone.

 

[XDinc]

Users wouldn't like it, also may not want it, but it has to happen.
Staffs should have take an action plan to predefined keywords which are used in any conversation.

This situation can be discussed, there may be different opinions,. As a result, a staff has to take measures to disturb the peace of other members.

 

[Smokey]

Since most forums are privately owned, the admins usually have access to the database anyways and could read them regardless. Simple solution: Don't post or send anything in a PM you wouldn't want other people other than the recipient to see, because chances are, it can (and sometimes will) be seen by others other than the message recipient.