Public posting of private messages

Just curious what your thoughts are on public posting of private messages.....I have seen a number of posts or reviews where private messages between forum users have been quoted and added to the thread.......I’m thinking there was a reason why it was sent as a private message in the first place and isn’t this breaching some sort of etiquette, or exposing some dialogue that wasn’t meant for everyone to see.....or possibly exposing the writer of the private message depending on what was said in the message?

Seems a little tacky to me but then again I think the content of the message is the more important factor.
biomed1's Avatar
Some light reading on the subject. . .
#9 - No form of private communications between members are to be posted in our forums. This includes the contents of emails, PMs, IMs, private chat logs, privately shared images, etc. This is an invasion of another's privacy and will not be allowed.
Some light reading on the subject. . . Originally Posted by biomed1
Ok, then what am I looking at when the quoted message has a “private” label and the dialogue has a tone that appears to be secretive or gossipy? Am I just misinterpreting the source of that quote or the private posting rules just aren’t really enforced or edited by a moderator.........or the private post isn’t revealing anything so it stands?
offshoredrilling's Avatar
Ok, then what am I looking at when the quoted message has a “private” label and the dialogue has a tone that appears to be secretive or gossipy? Am I just misinterpreting the source of that quote or the private posting rules just aren’t really enforced or edited by a moderator.........or the private post isn’t revealing anything so it stands? Originally Posted by sexykarma

but take care doing that, some mods will point ya for forcing them to do the job
Wile E Coyote's Avatar
Eccie likes a lot of drama as it makes for great reads and lots of hits. If they allowed private communication to be published, alot of the he said/she said stuff, especially accusatory posts to see who will come on board with the most popular person would be eliminated.

One example is, when a hobbyist writes a negative review of a provider that provider told him one thing in communication prior to the appointment and did another in the appointment (of course, that can be said of any provider ad, too). The provider then gets her WKs to refute the review and bash the hobbyist. That could all be eliminated by posting the private communication that she told him beforehand. It would nip all the drama in the bud and the provider would not have a leg to stand on.

but take care doing that, some mods will point ya for forcing them to do the job Originally Posted by offshoredrilling
Not busting anybody’s balls over it, my first reaction to seeing private messages posted was along the lines that the original creator of the private message has now been exposed........that he/she sent that in private directly to the receiver for the receivers eyes only........I’m not calling out for any moderators to step in.....
If you are seeing quotes of private messages and can actually read the content while not logged in or without premium access that should not be possible. If it is then it is then it might be a bug in the software. And if this is the case the mods likely overlook it because it isn’t intentionally revealing anything. Or they might not have noticed since if they’re logged in, they would be able to read it anyway. But I don’t know if that’s what you mean or if that is happening.
If you are seeing quotes of private messages and can actually read the content while not logged in or without premium access that should not be possible. If it is then it is then it might be a bug in the software. And if this is the case the mods likely overlook it because it isn’t intentionally revealing anything. Or they might not have noticed since if they’re logged in, they would be able to read it anyway. But I don’t know if that’s what you mean or if that is happening. Originally Posted by Gadabout
No bugs, the ones I see are when I’m logged in and with premium access.

Personally I doubt that I would quote a private message thinking along the lines that the sender sent it that way for a reason.......if anything I might pm the sender asking if he/she minded me quoting that.......

I have been asked pre-session a couple of times by providers to not post a review of them because they wanted to keep their review count down.......I have honored those requests........that’s a bit different but along the privacy lines....the way some guys post reviews in the quantity they do makes me think they’re writing fiction based on piecing other peoples reviews together or they got a tunnel dug into Fort Knox.
offshoredrilling's Avatar
Some light reading on the subject. . . Originally Posted by biomed1
If you are seeing quotes of private messages and can actually read the content while not logged in or without premium access that should not be possible. If it is then it is then it might be a bug in the software. And if this is the case the mods likely overlook it because it isn’t intentionally revealing anything. Or they might not have noticed since if they’re logged in, they would be able to read it anyway. But I don’t know if that’s what you mean or if that is happening. Originally Posted by Gadabout
Is seen with PA, its still wrong
Ok, then what am I looking at when the quoted message has a “private” label and the dialogue has a tone that appears to be secretive or gossipy? Am I just misinterpreting the source of that quote or the private posting rules just aren’t really enforced or edited by a moderator.........or the private post isn’t revealing anything so it stands? Originally Posted by sexykarma
To me, it sounds like you're thinking what someone puts in "private" tags, which is only visible with PA, is actually from a private message between people.

When in reality, it's something that that person doesn't want anyone else to read except for those with PA.



A link to an example of what you're talking about might be helpful.
Is seen with PA, its still wrong Originally Posted by offshoredrilling
Yeah, I misunderstood what OP was saying initially.

I thought he was talking about people having used the quote function in the message thread and fucked up the tag where everyone can see it. Shouldn’t happen but it’s obviously a mistake.

But he is actually talking about people openly sharing something on purpose that was said privately. And yeah, that’s fucked up. No one should be doing that.