Private Messages - How 'private' are they?

[Hornspieler]

A thought occurred to me the other day.

If I send a Private Message, who, apart from the intended recipient, is able to read it?

Does a Host or Moderator check it for content before it is dispatched?
Is it stored on the Forum's database for future research or reference?

I think that we should know these things.
I have also discovered recently that it is possible to forward a private message to another recipient without the foreknowledge of the document's originator. This, surely, cannot be right.

So apparently, 'Private' is an overstatement. What do others think?

Hornspieler

[Nick Armstrong]

Does a Host or Moderator check it for content before it is dispatched?

This is the only question for which I can give a definite factual answer: the answer's No.

I have no access to anyone else's PMs.

Ff will I imagine know the answer to the 'database' question.

I have also discovered recently that it is possible to forward a private message to another recipient without the foreknowledge of the document's originator. This, surely, cannot be right.

It's surely no different from any other correspondence one receives - unless the sender has specified that the contents should remain confidential to the recipient, the latter is free to discuss or copy as they wish, no? Whether it's a letter, an email - or a Forum private message... If you receive a letter, you might well show it to another friend or to a family member without the need to get the original writer's permission, I think.

At any rate, I've never had any concern about the privacy of our PMs over and above any other form of written communication.

[Dave2002]

C'mon guys. The NSA and by association or otherwise GCHQ will see them!

[french frank]

A thought occurred to me the other day.

If I send a Private Message, who, apart from the intended recipient, is able to read it?

No one

Does a Host or Moderator check it for content before it is dispatched?

No.

Is it stored on the Forum's database for future research or reference?

Not once you've deleted it. As long as you retain it in your Inbox or Sent box it has to be in the database somewhere or you wouldn't be able to find it yourself. Deleting an account also deletes everything relating to that member from the database.

I think that we should know these things.
I have also discovered recently that it is possible to forward a private message to another recipient without the foreknowledge of the document's originator. This, surely, cannot be right.

That's the same as any email message (or indeed any letter). I'm sure if you added a signature saying that your messages were for the addressee only and should not be forwarded to a third party the recipient would respect that.

[Hornspieler]

No one

No.
Not once you've deleted it. As long as you retain it in your Inbox or Sent box it has to be in the database somewhere or you wouldn't be able to find it yourself. Deleting an account also deletes everything relating to that member from the database.

That's the same as any email message (or indeed any letter). I'm sure if you added a signature saying that your messages were for the addressee only and should not be forwarded to a third party the recipient would respect that.

Thank you FF and Caliban for your reassurances.

The matter is now resolved as far as I am concerned.

HS

[gurnemanz]

NSA guy walks into a bar.
Barman says "Hey, I've got a new joke."
NSA guy: "I've heard it."

[Sydney Grew]

. . .
If I send a Private Message, who, apart from the intended recipient, is able to read it? . . .

On one of the forums I administer the following scenario sometimes occurs:

1) Member A sends a private message to Member B.

2) Member B receives a copy of that private message at his Hot-mail page, as follows:

>>>You have just been sent a personal message by A on The xxx Forum.
>>>IMPORTANT: Remember, this is just a notification. Please do not reply to this email.
>>>The message they sent you was:
>>>[blah blah blah]
>>>Reply to this Personal Message here:
>>>[and here appears a link to the address of the "in-box" at the xxx Forum]

3) Now the problem arises if - as too often happens - Member B ignores the "IMPORTANT" warning above, and in his enthusiasm DOES respond to the Hot-mail copy, instead of going back to the xxx Forum and responding via the in-box. What happens then is that Member B's response comes directly to me as the administrator, rather than to its intended recipient, Member A, who never learns of its existence!

I of course have no wish to read these orphan PMs which thrust themselves at me. And what makes it worse is that often people use on their Hot-mail account names that differ from those they use on the xxx Forum, so I have no way of working out who sent these mistaken messages and to whom I might forward them. Another pretty computer pickle!