are PMs private ?

[steeljack]

just curious are the "Private Messages" one Accy web user sends to another Accy web user .." Private" or do the moderators (or any one else apart from the security services) have access to them ? not asking for any nefarious reason , just curious
Thanks

[Neil]

Originally Posted by steeljack

any one else apart from the security services

Why would the security services have access to them.

Ask yourself a question. If you built a forum would you make it so you could read PM's in case some people started threatening others etc.

[Mick]

PM=Private Message are just that,the mods cant read them the only person that can read a pm is the member its sent too
security services cant read them (Data protection act)

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by steeljack

just curious are the "Private Messages" one Accy web user sends to another Accy web user .." Private" or do the moderators (or any one else apart from the security services) have access to them ? not asking for any nefarious reason , just curious
Thanks

The only way that you will find out is to buy a forum script and run your own forum. If you do that and find that you can read all PM’s then you would never be able to admit it without damaging your forum.

However as moderator for over 4 years on the Golden Talk forum I cannot read other members’ PM’s and I should imagine that other moderators on other forums cannot either.

So that just leaves the owner and administrator/s. If they can, they will never admit it.

[steeljack]

no, it was just an innocent question, nothing to hide , just wondering if it was okay to discuss the proclivities of an ex-cabinet minister and the merits/tastes of guacamole dip v the merits of mushy peas with another Accy web user .....and I didn't want others(the moderators) to get the wrong impression
thanks

[Bagpuss]

Originally Posted by Neil

Ask yourself a question. If you built a forum would you make it so you could read PM's in case some people started threatening others etc.

I think that answers the question to be honest.

[andrewb]

Technically its very easy for the moderators to read PM's if Roy has installed an additional plugin. Whether this is the case or not only the mods know

[entwisi]

you don't even need a plugin if you know your SQL

Select PMs from Table.where.PM.are.stored where user = "joe bloggs"

JOb done

[flashy]

so the moral of the story is.......dont go cybering in pm's cos the mods will be having a laugh at your expense if you do

[Mick]

Originally Posted by flashytart

so the moral of the story is.......dont go cybering in pm's cos the mods will be having a laugh at your expense if you do

I will say it again the mods DO NOT have access to pm's or that part of the site they can not read pm's at all

[Less]

Originally Posted by entwisi

you don't even need a plugin if you know your SQL

(instructions removed).

JOb done

Well done entwisi! Why on earth did you have to show how clever you are and then give instructions for any Joe Bloggs to be able to do it!

Could you not have just left it at:-

you don't even need a plugin if you know your SQL

Then those that don't know their SQL wouldn't be tempted to have a go at reading other peoples p.m.'s?

There are times you make the mind boggle!

[flashy]

Originally Posted by mick

I will say it again the mods DO NOT have access to pm's or that part of the site they can not read pm's at all

i was joking

[garinda]

Originally Posted by steeljack

no, it was just an innocent question, nothing to hide , just wondering if it was okay to discuss the proclivities of an ex-cabinet minister and the merits/tastes of guacamole dip v the merits of mushy peas with another Accy web user .....and I didn't want others(the moderators) to get the wrong impression
thanks

Looks like your secrets will be safe, well at least until they are sent to the person concerned.

[entwisi]

Originally Posted by Less

Well done entwisi! Why on earth did you have to show how clever you are and then give instructions for any Joe Bloggs to be able to do it!

Could you not have just left it at:-



Then those that don't know their SQL wouldn't be tempted to have a go at reading other peoples p.m.'s?

There are times you make the mind boggle!

Les, firstly only ROY I believe has access to teh physical server that you need to be able to run SQL on. Secondly the SQL I posted was dummy SQL and would need far more to it than that, I have no idea what the table name is(although it isn't hard to fnd out as the forum is open source and available for free), or even the table description to find out the data colum containg the text. What I was showing that as these forums all use a database to store the information it only needs a simple query on teh database to find out anything stored in it.


If you wish to castigate me do it from an informed position please!

[emamum]

Im pretty sure Mick and Roy have better things to do than read peoples pm's!