TygerTyger
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In light of discussions talking about privacy and monitoring of private messages at other forums, we wanted to let you know our stance on this issue. At Vaping Underground, your freedom and privacy are important to us, and we want you to feel free here to express yourselves or connect with each other without fear of heavy-handed moderation or fears of your privacy being compromised.
Can staff read private messages? The simple answer is no. The way that our forum is configured, moderators and admins CANNOT read private messages, end of story. While a plug-in exists to allow this functionality, we have chosen NOT to use it.
However, in the interests of transparency, we're going to peel back the curtain and tell you that technically, there is a way for a tiny few senior admins to access private messages. It's not built in, and it's not simple. It involves having access to and meticulously combing through an entire database of information. In short, it would be like hacking our own forum, and only those intimately involved in the workings could even get that far. Then, to check YOUR message would be a little bit like seeking a needle in a *row* of haystacks. Rest assured, no one has the time or inclination to read your private messages, nor do we believe they should be read. They're called private for a reason.
There is only one other instance in which a private message could be viewed, and that's if it is so threatening or offensive that the receiver chooses to report it. At that point, it becomes a report visible only to senior adminstration in order that appropriate action can be taken. To sum up, the only way someone who isn't in a private conversation will see a message is if someone IN that conversation reports it. (And for the record, if you do receive a threatening or highly inappropriate message, please do report it so that we can assist you.)
In recap, we want you to feel comfortable and safe connecting with others here, and have configured our forum and practices to support that value. Private messages ARE private, and we're not here to monitor how you choose to interact behind the scenes. So..... speak freely!
Tyger~
on behalf of the Vaping Underground Administrators and Moderators
Can staff read private messages? The simple answer is no. The way that our forum is configured, moderators and admins CANNOT read private messages, end of story. While a plug-in exists to allow this functionality, we have chosen NOT to use it.
However, in the interests of transparency, we're going to peel back the curtain and tell you that technically, there is a way for a tiny few senior admins to access private messages. It's not built in, and it's not simple. It involves having access to and meticulously combing through an entire database of information. In short, it would be like hacking our own forum, and only those intimately involved in the workings could even get that far. Then, to check YOUR message would be a little bit like seeking a needle in a *row* of haystacks. Rest assured, no one has the time or inclination to read your private messages, nor do we believe they should be read. They're called private for a reason.
There is only one other instance in which a private message could be viewed, and that's if it is so threatening or offensive that the receiver chooses to report it. At that point, it becomes a report visible only to senior adminstration in order that appropriate action can be taken. To sum up, the only way someone who isn't in a private conversation will see a message is if someone IN that conversation reports it. (And for the record, if you do receive a threatening or highly inappropriate message, please do report it so that we can assist you.)
In recap, we want you to feel comfortable and safe connecting with others here, and have configured our forum and practices to support that value. Private messages ARE private, and we're not here to monitor how you choose to interact behind the scenes. So..... speak freely!
Tyger~
on behalf of the Vaping Underground Administrators and Moderators