An Explanation

[Strike For The South]

I basically agree with Phillip.

Warman was a petulant child but I fail to see why the pms had to be read. His brothers account could have simply been locked or given a temp ban.

The new policy of the Org is touchy feely on the outside and draconian on the indside. Ban the word fag, railroad respected members, and rifle through PMs to get rid of a gnat.

I blame the new Mods.

[caravel]

No - as far as I am concerned this is about the precedent set going forward, I'm not comfortable with a precedent that says staff can do this without consequence - because that means it will happen again, probably the next time the Admins change.

I agree that it sets a precedent, but calling for one staff member's head is no solution as more than one staff member was involved in this. Asking all of those involved to step down would be a step too far.

What do you people expect. This is a privately owned forum. The admins make it their mission to reduce the amount of snooping to the absolute minimum. For 13 years they went without having to open one PM, and now they did it once under the most respectful manner possible, with full disclosure of what they did and how they came to the decision.

The point is that there should not have been any "snooping" at all. Members' PMs should not be read by staff under any circumstances - end of. I accept they made a mistake, but I do not accept that the reading of PMs is somehow warranted under exceptional circumstances. I think we'd be seeing this in a whole different light if it was our PMs being read.

Warman was a petulant child but I fail to see why the pms had to be read. His brothers account could have simply been locked or given a temp ban.

Yes.

The new policy of the Org is touchy feely on the outside and draconian on the indside. Ban the word fag, railroad respected members, and rifle through PMs to get rid of a gnat.

I have come to accept that they run things here their way - if I don't like it, I'm free to go elsewhere and start my own board.

I blame the new Mods.

I do not.

[a completely inoffensive name]

The point is that there should not have been any "snooping" at all. Members' PMs should not be read by staff under any circumstances - end of. I accept they made a mistake, but I do not accept that the reading of PMs is somehow warranted under exceptional circumstances. I think we'd be seeing this in a whole different light if it was our PMs being read.

I trust the mods to have discretion in what they read from my PM's. I trust them as people (which isn't much but I don't say anything personal in PM's anyway). I don't feel comfortable with them knowing anything too personal and so I do the rational thing and not send PM's on a private forum with personal info.

[caravel]

I trust the mods to have discretion in what they read from my PM's. I trust them as people (which isn't much but I don't say anything personal in PM's anyway). I don't feel comfortable with them knowing anything too personal and so I do the rational thing and not send PM's on a private forum with personal info.

The admins don't read your PMs without your knowledge - the mods certainly don't as they don't have the required access to manage user accounts (AFAIK anyway). To do so they would need to know your password (which is encrypted) or reset it via the administration control panel. Unless your password was mysteriously reset recently, then no one has been reading your PMs.

[Visor]

To be honest, reading someone's PM is not a good thing. However, in the case of Warman, it is justified. Kudos to the staff for being open about this.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I'm obviously going to be banned at the end of this sordid little affair, so I might as well ask what the hell ATPG is doing going through and thanking all the posts in support of the mods' position?

If he has something constructive to add maybe he should speak up?

I've counted, and no former mods and only one Senior Member has come down in support of this. That's hardly a ringing endorsement from the community.

[Drunk Clown]

I'm obviously going to be banned at the end of this sordid little affair, so I might as well ask what the hell ATPG is doing going through and thanking all the posts in support of the mods' position?

If he has something constructive to add maybe he should speak up?

He agrees with us? Why should he post what already has been said? I advise you to look better at post #33, I see no thanks but it's certainly "pro" Mods as you want to call it. You shouldn't be looking for things which aren't there. Ban you? For what? Do you have a chip on your shoulder that big? I once had one but I'm still here.

I've counted, and no former mods and only one Senior Member has come down in support of this. That's hardly a ringing endorsement from the community.

Because guilty until proven innocent is awful.

[Andres]

I'm obviously going to be banned at the end of this sordid little affair, so I might as well ask what the hell ATPG is doing going through and thanking all the posts in support of the mods' position?

I see no reason to ban you, Philipvs. You have a valid opinion and make fair points.

Also, for the record, TinCow asked the forum administrators permission before reading the pm's and that permission was granted. He's not responsible, the forum administration is.