PM’s

[Mortensi]

There’s so much talk about security here, and the pushing of using PM’s versus email, it made me curious if personal messages here can be accessed and read by any of the many, ever changing monitors?

 

[firehoser75]

My guess (total guess) would be YES. They monitor and are responsible for the site and enforcing it's rules. I would guess that would apply to PM's as well??

 

[psneeld]

Normally we dont openly discuss moderators/duties. (In the rules)

But I do not think they can read PMs. From what I have heard about and received....I think the herd might be thinned quite a bit...but their job is keep us civil openly and only if you file a complaint on a PM is it followed up...but I still don't think they see the actual PM unless someone sends it to them?.

 

[Mortensi]

Normally we dont openly discuss moderators/duties. (In the rules)

But I do not think they can read PMs. From what I have heard about and received....I think the herd might be thinned quite a bit...but their job is keep us civil openly and only if you file a complaint on a PM is it followed up...but I still don't think they see the actual PM unless someone sends it to them?.

In other words- you don’t know.

 

[Alaskaflyer]

In other forums that use the vBulletin product where I've been a moderator, the answer would be no, the exception being anyone with admin level access to the database itself on the server, which is not typically part of a moderator's volunteer role. Someone has to administer the database, just like the IT techs at a company who hold the keys to the kingdom.

It would be one sorry hacker indeed who wasted time skulking around here lol.

 

[BandB]

In other forums that use the vBulletin product where I've been a moderator, the answer would be no, the exception being anyone with admin level access to the database itself on the server, which is not typically part of a moderator's volunteer role. Someone has to administer the database, just like the IT techs at a company who hold the keys to the kingdom.

It would be one sorry hacker indeed who wasted time skulking around here lol.

Having had vbulletin forums, I don't think the moderators can access here. As Alaska indicates you can access through the database but that is a horrific way to try to read it and only administrators can do so. Now, there are some vbulletin hacks which allow an administrator to see pm's. I don't believe this forum uses them though. Anytime moderators might contact you over a pm, the pm was reported to moderators just like a public post can be. So if you threaten someone and they report it, then the mods are aware and deal with it.

The general public cannot access pm's and to get to them would be extremely difficult. There are definitely hackers who possibly could, but the last thing in the world they'd spend their time and effort on.

 

[Larry M]

The site team does not have access to any private messages unless they are forwarded to us by the receiver or sender.

 

[Shrew]

The site team does not have access to any private messages unless they are forwarded to us by the receiver or sender.

Moderators can only view the following:

Deleted Posts
Deleted Threads
Posts in Moderation
Threads in Moderation
Profile Comments in Moderation
Attachments in Moderation

All moderators can view PM's which are Reported to Moderators using the "Report PM" feature. An individual can view a PM forwarded, but only the person it was forwarded too.