Disclosure of Private Messages

The forum guidelines say:

#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.

My question is: Since it seems perfectly okay to paraphrase PMs in a posting, why cannot those PMs be quoted directly?

It's a nice fiction to think that PMs (like ROS and the ML) are truly private, but everyone knows that privacy exists in theory only. And, I don't know why a person who sends a PM rant or whatever should be entitled to any expectation of privacy, or be allowed to use the "no quoting" rule as a means to hide rudeness, etc.

Anyone have other thoughts?

Many people use PMs for the specific reason of keeping it private. And given the rules of the board, they have an implicit right to expect that to be honored. If the PM contains questionable materials, it can be reported to management.

If you feel you cannot honor the privicy of others, dont use or read PMs. Or, just leave the board.

Or, just leave the board. Originally Posted by Bubba3452

Can you be a little more harsh on your reply to a guy that simply asked a question? sheesh

Like in the example where someone sends a PM and a moderator has edited out certain information in that PM intended for another person ?

The mods did not make the rules here, if you do not like that PMs cannot be quoted directly, then you need to take it up with the owner. Paraphrasing seems appropriate to get what others think, if you are seeking an opinion of the person and/or the message sent.

Can you be a little more harsh on your reply to a guy that simply asked a question? sheesh Originally Posted by still-asleep

No shit, not a very moddish reply there bubba.

Like in the example where someone sends a PM and a moderator has edited out certain information in that PM intended for another person ? Originally Posted by ironore

Wait a minute...you've had a PM edited?
Does that mean mods read PMs? I can understand them reading one that was reported but not just a regular PM.
If that's true, that puts a whole new spin on things.

No, I can only see PMs sent to me or sent by me. So, unless you forward it to a mod, or RTM it we cannot see it.

A provider sent a PM to me with information that was originally deleted in a public forum. When she sent the same information to be privately - it was edited (with XXX's in place of the actual information) there too.

So yes, someone besides her or me saw and edited that PM.

Xs or *s?

Wait a minute...you've had a PM edited?
Does that mean mods read PMs? I can understand them reading one that was reported but not just a regular PM.
If that's true, that puts a whole new spin on things. Originally Posted by TheWanderer

Hi,

Correct if me I'm wrong, but it was my understanding that, yes, mods can and do access your or our pm's. If you really want to keep things private send your message through you private email account and not by the email account that is attached to profile, either.....Enjoy your day!

Sincerely,
Wet

Regular Moderators can't access PMs but Admins and other high access staff members of ANY vbulletin system can. I don't know the actual access hierarchy but this subject has been discussed on other boards besides ECCIE.

Regarding what may be considered edits, there are system wide masks that will prevent the posting or use of certain words that have been selected.

On ASPD, "youtube" was masked out due to a spammer keying on that phrase. it didn't matter where youtube was used, it was replaced with "*".

There is currently a very specific string of letters that are converted to "*" no matter where or how on the site it is entered. Going around that edit can result in a site ban.

Hi,

Correct if me I'm wrong, but it was my understanding that, yes, mods can and do access your or our pm's. If you really want to keep things private send your message through you private email account and not by the email account that is attached to profile, either.....Enjoy your day!

Sincerely,
Wet
Originally Posted by WetVelvetSAT

Your wrong. Mods cannot access anyone elses PMs

Thanks LL, Thats why I asked if it was x or *

Ok that makes sense, so this particular website reference was censored automatically, both publicly and privately rather than a moderator manually doing it.

Either way, I am not sure why it's such a big deal but yeah , yeah, I know if I don't like the rules I can go play somewhere else...

Your wrong. Mods cannot access anyone elses PMs

Thanks LL, Thats why I asked if it was x or * Originally Posted by Bubba3452

Cool! and thanks lazurus for clarifying...

and other high access staff members

is there a list all of the mods, anywhere, and which ones are at the higher end of the totem pole? Just asking....no need to reply.....

Sincerely,
Wet