# Do mods or admins ever read private messages between members? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 11, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398 "2007-10-11T22:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/1 "2007-10-11T22:59:48Z")
My husband is on another message board where they are having a bit of controversy over suspicions of moderators reading pms between members (and then allegedly banning one based on the contents), and it got me wondering if moderators or administrators read pms here. Is there any circumstances where mods or admins would read pms, if it is something that is not usually done? Would it be considered a violation of privacy laws for mods or admins to read private messages? _Can_ they even read them? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/2 "2007-10-11T23:12:17Z")
I don’t think we can. I certainly don’t know how. And if we could, I’m quite sure we wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/3 "2007-10-12T00:30:17Z")
It’s not, as far as I know, an ability built in to the vB software that drives the board. However, PMs, like the rest of the board content, are stored in a database. Anyone with access to this database and an understanding of its structure could peek at them, and with a little knowledge about PHP programming, could fairly easily write a routine to make that ability available to whomever they choose to have it. So, possible, yes. Routinely done? Probably not, IME. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/4 "2007-10-12T00:51:07Z")
We have no access to your private messages. And even if we did, geez, there’s not enough hours in the day to do all the things we need to do, let alone wonder what you’re up to in private messages. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/5 "2007-10-12T00:52:39Z")
As a point of technical information, it takes about 60 seconds for a PHP coder to write a simple routine to read PMs. About 10 minutes to write one that allows searching through them by member(s) for text strings. As QED says, it is not, AFAIK, a built-in function. But one that is trivially added. Edited: And as TubaDiva says, they have no access in this version either… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/6 "2007-10-12T20:08:39Z")
Hmm, interesting. It isn’t done here (or say you say {ominous voice}), but it wouldn’t be hard to write a little code to do so. The other message board where they are having this “issue,” I don’t think they’re the kind of people to start writing routines, but who knows? Thanks for all the info. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/7 "2007-10-12T23:54:30Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] there’s not enough hours in the day to do all the things we need to do, let alone wonder what you’re up to in private messages. [/QUOTE] I’ll have you know that my private messages are worth their weight in gold. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/8 "2007-10-13T01:05:46Z")
> [@](#): > > The other message board where they are having this “issue,” I don’t think they’re the kind of people to start writing routines, but who knows? OK, so they downloaded a plug-in script that someone else wrote. If **Una** can write one in ten minutes, then someone else can, too, and a lot of those someone elses probably like sharing their work. Or it could just be idiots on the Internet making baseless accusations about supposedly Nazi moderators. That happens, too. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/9 "2007-10-13T01:08:51Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] OK, so they downloaded a plug-in script that someone else wrote. [/QUOTE] Yep. It took about 6.7 seconds of Googling to find one. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/10 "2007-10-13T01:25:06Z")
As far as this Board goes, I am absolutely confident that the Staff do not read anyone’s PMs other than their own. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/11 "2007-10-13T01:40:36Z")
Heck, I have it on good authority some moderators don’t even read their OWN PMs, let alone those belonging to others. I understand how that goes myself, I’m not always cognizant of that little notice in the corner of the screen. (I do get to it . . . sooner or later.) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/12 "2007-10-13T14:18:35Z")
[QUOTE=Kat] I’ll have you know that my private messages are worth their weight in gold. 😃 [/QUOTE] Then you’re safe. Nobody will read them unless they’re worth their weight in chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/13 "2007-10-13T22:54:19Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] Heck, I have it on good authority some moderators don’t even read their OWN PMs, let alone those belonging to others. I understand how that goes myself, I’m not always cognizant of that little notice in the corner of the screen. (I do get to it . . . sooner or later.) [/QUOTE] Hey, I don’t get no steenkin’ little notice in the corner of my screen. What gives? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/14 "2007-10-13T23:12:27Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] Hey, I don’t get no steenkin’ little notice in the corner of my screen. What gives? 🙂 [/QUOTE] In your case it says - Private Messages: Unread 0, Total 0. ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/15 "2007-10-13T23:30:49Z")
Hey, mine says that, too. How come I’m getting samclem’s PM notice? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/16 "2007-10-13T23:54:51Z")
[QUOTE=jacquilynne] Hey, mine says that, too. How come I’m getting samclem’s PM notice? [/QUOTE] He swapped his for yours. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/17 "2007-10-14T00:59:21Z")
For what it’s worth, I didn’t even **realize** that there was such a thing as Private Messages until a few months ago… when my Private Message folder was filled up. [sub]No, I didn’t read the old ones.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/18 "2007-10-14T01:15:36Z")
[QUOTE=Cartooniverse] Then you’re safe. Nobody will read them unless they’re worth their weight in chocolate. [/QUOTE] Twenty dollars can buy many peanuts. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/19 "2007-10-14T01:31:45Z")
Stranger and stranger. I get PMs all the time. From dopers. But, I’ve never noticed a “notice” in the corner of any screen. I just get an email in my normal personal email box at [sclements@neo.rr.com](mailto:sclements@neo.rr.com) and then I reply. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/20 "2007-10-14T01:34:17Z")
Top left corner of the screen: **Welcome, Q.E.D…** You last visited: Today at 09:05 PM Private Messages: Unread **1** , Total 17. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398.md?page=2)