Author Topic: Private Messages (Read 940 times)

Alexandria · « **on:** August 01, 2016, 12:01:39 PM »

What should we do if a member posts contents of a private message on the board?

JezusDeKoning · « **Reply #1 on:** August 01, 2016, 12:08:12 PM »

Are the contents highly sensitive?

Alexandria · « **Reply #2 on:** August 01, 2016, 12:09:06 PM »

Quote from: JezusDeKoning

Are the contents highly sensitive?

It shouldn't matter whether they are sensitive or not.

Private means private.

JezusDeKoning · « **Reply #3 on:** August 01, 2016, 12:28:47 PM »

I would give them a slight reprimand - more if it was deliberate.

TKGS · « **Reply #4 on:** August 01, 2016, 12:33:25 PM »

I hate to say this, but once you give someone information via PM, the information is now "public" in that the information is now known to someone other than just you. While you may expect such information not to be shared, you have no absolute right of privacy under most circuмstances. Private does not necessarily mean "just between you and me". It means that the message is not posted on in a public way so that everyone can read--and this is the limit to the privacy.

If a member shares information you have given him via PM and you had wished that the information not be shared, then you have learned a lesson as far as whom you should not trust in the future with PMs. An even better lesson learned is that members of forums are not necessarily people with whom to share confidences.

Alexandria · « **Reply #5 on:** August 01, 2016, 12:41:06 PM »

It shouldn't matter what is sent via a private message - even if the weather was the only thing chatted about - private means just that - private.

If the contents of private messages are open to all publicly, simply delete the word "private."

By the way, this is the first forum on which I've read such a liberal attitude from members regarding the private message system. Most places ban a member that does it.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #6 on:** August 01, 2016, 12:47:53 PM »

I'm sure the Moderator could take action, delete the offending post, and ban the offending member.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #7 on:** August 01, 2016, 12:52:39 PM »

Quote from: Alexandria

It shouldn't matter what is sent via a private message - even if the weather was the only thing chatted about - private means just that - private.

If the contents of private messages are open to all publicly, simply delete the word "private."

By the way, this is the first forum on which I've read such a liberal attitude from members regarding the private message system. Most places ban a member that does it.

Why are you asking these guys? Ask Matthew (if it happened here) or the Moderator of the forum where this happened.

Alexandria · « **Reply #8 on:** August 01, 2016, 01:10:17 PM »

Quote from: Ladislaus

Quote from: Alexandria

It shouldn't matter what is sent via a private message - even if the weather was the only thing chatted about - private means just that - private.

If the contents of private messages are open to all publicly, simply delete the word "private."

By the way, this is the first forum on which I've read such a liberal attitude from members regarding the private message system. Most places ban a member that does it.

Why are you asking these guys? Ask Matthew (if it happened here) or the Moderator of the forum where this happened.

Because I'm an imbecile I guess.

Since when does CI have moderators for each subforum?

And, by the way, Ladislaus, I don't know what I ever did to you, but since I've returned to CI, all I've gotten from you is a frigid shoulder. We used to be friends, but apparently I've stepped on your toes.

Marlelar · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2016, 08:19:24 PM »

I would ask Matthew to remove the material and never PM the offender again.

IRL all you could do would be take the offender to task but that doesn't wipe out the fact that he blabbered anyway, works the same way on the internet.

Unless it's your mother or your best friend you can't really count on anyone to keep it "just between you and me", IRL or the internet.

Matthew · « **Reply #10 on:** August 01, 2016, 10:52:00 PM »

This is the first I've heard of any issue. No one has contacted me about any posts that need moderation in this regard.

While CathInfo tries to allow everything, and only make exceptions for a few things (outright lies, blasphemy, etc.), I'm sure that I would quickly moderate a post that exposed the substance of a confession, for example. And I've removed first and last names when various members have "name dropped" another individual without permission.

My point is that CathInfo isn't a free-for-all. It's open, it's free, but there are still certain lines that must not be crossed. And that's precisely what a moderator is for.