John, David, Mods. A question re: PMs

[Lara]

Could someone please clarify if user private messages between users and other user information such as email addresses and IP numbers is available to moderators? It is early here but I'm totally confused about this issue after reading some other messages in FF.

Thanks in advance,
Lara

[SalpalSally]

I have been informed that the option for Admin to read PMs is available with VBulletin, but rarely used. I dont think this power, should ever be given to Moderators, but it's possible.:eek:

That would be the lowest of the low, for invasion of our Privacy, and should only be used in the event of a Hacker invading our PMs, and even then, only the Hacker's PMs should be read...and only by the Administrator...never the Mods.

[Moderator #10]

BT's moderators do not have access to members' Private Messages (or PMs).

One of the Admins. (JL or David) might want to address the additional questions. I don't know what info. is available to the administrators.

[Lara]

I'm not so worried about private messages. I don't tend to use that feature much anyway, and can't imagine I'd be writing anything in that which would be a problem to a 3rd party reading it. lol How's the weather? What's for tea? sort of stuff, you know? :rolleyes:

I'm more concerned about the really private info. like IP address and such. I know that vBulletin can be set up so that moderators don't see all that, but I just wondered. I have a lot of issues presently with "trust" and that's one question that might make me more at ease, not just here, but I'd ask the same question on any forum I would use.

[Lara]

Thankyou very much #10. I appreciate your speedy response. :)

[SalpalSally]

Lara, unless you have a static IP Addy, IPs can be used by several members. Administration have access to All IP addresses and in some forums, so do the Mods. Sometimes it's necessary to keep track of trolls and hackers, and to catch them quicker.

I can't forsee any problems with that, unless an IP is banned and you are an innocent co-holder of that IP.:eek:

[Mike Weins]

Something else worthy of mentioning.

IP addresses aren't all that private anymore. Anyone that knows where to go can find the ip address of everyone posting on any given thread.

No I won't tell anyone where they can go to get everyone's ip address.

[Kamie]

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[Lara]

I see. Well, that's food for thought isn't it?

[Pamster]

I doubt seriously that Mods have this power. Admins certainly would. But like ZombieSlayer said, IP's aren't that private anymore. I just thought I would post another member's thoughts on this issue. :)

[David Hosobuchi]

Could someone please clarify if user private messages between users and other user information such as email addresses and IP numbers is available to moderators? It is early here but I'm totally confused about this issue after reading some other messages in FF.

Thanks in advance,
Lara



[quote=SalpalSally}
I have been informed that the option for Admin to read PMs is available with VBulletin, but rarely used. I dont think this power, should ever be given to Moderators, but it's possible.:eek:

That would be the lowest of the low, for invasion of our Privacy, and should only be used in the event of a Hacker invading our PMs, and even then, only the Hacker's PMs should be read...and only by the Administrator...never the Mods. [/quote]


All information entered in your profile, including fields invisible to members are visible to the moderators.

To answer Sally's question on who can see what is contained in the forums private messages is a simple one....

The viewer are limited to the sender and the recipient.

Moderators can not see any private messages sent by a member unless it was sent to the moderator. The same is true of administrators.

Warnings and infractions are different. Even though they are sent using the private message system, all moderators & administrators see those.

I did once ask John Lester, when investigating a case of harrassment over PMs, if it were possible to do this....

His answer.... One would have to be able to login as that user, with thier password, and look at the private messages that way. It could not happen without leaving a trail.

No moderators or administrators here at BTC have access to the user's passwords. Not even John. For an administrator to do this, they would need to clear your password, make a new one that they know, then log on as you. But the next time you tried to login, you would find your password didn't work. Then one would probably try having your password sent by email. The user would see the new password, see that it is not theirs, and know that there was a big problem here.....

BTC's Privacy policy only allows this to be done under the most extreme circumstances. I only envision this happening under court order.....:eek:

[Lara]

All information entered in your profile, including fields invisible to members are visible to the moderators.

I see again. Thanks for the clarification.

[SalpalSally]

Thanks David for clearing that up for me. My information was, obviously, wrong. Actually, I'm relieved at yours and John's revelation.

Thank you for being patient with us.;)

[southernlady]

Thanks David for clearing that up for me. My information was, obviously, wrong. Actually, I'm relieved at yours and John's revelation.

Actually, it's not wrong but something that is so seldom done by an admin, WE consider those who do it the equalent of peeping toms. The lowest of the low on the admin totem pole. To do it tho, you have to have so much access to the database that usually the owner is the only one who can access that info, assuming they know HOW to read it, cause it looks gibberish. Liz

[mister]

Everyone should be aware of that and there is always the case where hackers might have access or someone might send a pm from one person to many others so be careful. It has happened before and surely can happen again. No system is fool proof.

Regards

[Lara]

Yes, mister, so I've learned.
Actually, I've learned a _lot_ since I first posted my question and read the responses. :eek:

Apparently it goes on quite a bit. I guess I was a little naive about why people would do such things. Never entered my mind that someone would have so much spare time or *whatever* that they would spend their time doing such things. It's sick. (and I don't mean sick in the way that my teenagers would say it)

You'd think we have enough to worry about with everything else going on in the world than to comtemplate doing things like that.

c'est la vie.