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  1. #1
    Community Leader Gandwarf's Avatar
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    Post Report private message

    I just noticed a small button which can be used to report a private message on this forum. This made me wonder: how private are private messages exactly? I can understand that an admin has access and that reporting private messages is a good thing because of potential spam. But do Community Leaders also have access? Checked the FAQ, but couldn't find an answer and a search on the forum turned up nothing.

    Oh, I have nothing to hide... (at the moment ). This is mostly curiosity.
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  3. #3
    Community Leader Facebook Connected torstan's Avatar
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    My guess is that you are able to report it to a mod if you deem a pm to be offensive, but that mods and the admin do not have access to those pms unless they are reported. I guess we really need Arcana to stop by to answer the question of whether he can get into members private messages without permission, but I'd be very surprised if the Community Leaders have access to pms.

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    Community Leader jfrazierjr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by torstan View Post
    My guess is that you are able to report it to a mod if you deem a pm to be offensive, but that mods and the admin do not have access to those pms unless they are reported. I guess we really need Arcana to stop by to answer the question of whether he can get into members private messages without permission, but I'd be very surprised if the Community Leaders have access to pms.
    At the end of the day, the admin(s) of any forum will likely have access to PM's if they want to. In almost all cases, those with admin rights can query the SQL server directly if they have the know-how since they have the database username/password. I know us PM's don't have access to the PM's(though, I expect we would get a copy of any that are reported using the link Gandalf pointed out)
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    Guild Journeyer msa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jfrazierjr View Post
    At the end of the day, the admin(s) of any forum will likely have access to PM's if they want to. In almost all cases, those with admin rights can query the SQL server directly if they have the know-how since they have the database username/password. I know us PM's don't have access to the PM's(though, I expect we would get a copy of any that are reported using the link Gandalf pointed out)
    Yeah, the admin will certainly be able to access anything if he chooses too. The same is true for your email, whoever provides it. Someone, somewhere, can access every piece of information in this or any other site. So if you are sleeping with that person's wife, or selling drugs to his kids, don't send any messages about it through the system

  6. #6
    Community Leader jfrazierjr's Avatar
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    Default

    Already tested. We can see the exact contents of the PM(including any quoted parts from previous messages), but NOT any other parts of the "thread." ie, just that one specific reported post.
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  7. #7
    Community Leader Gandwarf's Avatar
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    Ok, that sounds logical.
    Again, I have no problem with this and nothing to hide. This was mostly curiosity.

    I remember that a few years ago there was quite a fuss when it was found out that the admin of a large forum in the Netherlands was actively reading private messages of members
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  8. #8
    Administrator Facebook Connected Robbie's Avatar
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    I can read private messages in the sql server...I peruse them all the time and laugh and joke about all of your antics with my friends!

    Just kidding...Actually I've only ever looked into the database when we had the big pm spam attack to see how bad it was. and I'll only ever do that if I need to again. Your dirty secrets are sorta safe with me.

    The other questions seem to be answered well.
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