# 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:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/21 "2007-10-14T03:07:25Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] 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? [/QUOTE] Perhaps. Click the **User CP** link on the top bar. On the left, below the heading “ **Control Panel** ” are further links. Click **Edit Options** On the right (taking up most of the screen) are several options and their descriptions below a bar labeled “ **Edit Options** ” divided by activity. In the second boxed activity, labeled **Messaging and Notification** , the third section says > [@](#): > > **Private Messaging** > This forum features a private messaging system, which allows members to send messages to one another privately. > > If you do not want to send or receive private messages, you may disable the private messaging system. > |\_| Enable Private Messaging > > The forum can send a message to your email address to inform you when someone sends you a private message. > |\_| Receive Email Notification of New Private Messages > > If you are browsing the forums when you receive a new private message, the system can pop-up a notification box informing you of the new message. > |\_| Show New Private Message Notification Pop-up Each of the Check Boxes provide a different function. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/22 "2007-10-21T02:28:21Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Yep. It took about 6.7 seconds of Googling to find one. [/QUOTE] To a Googlebot, 6.7 seconds is almost an eternity. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/23 "2007-10-21T13:27:53Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Top left corner of the screen: **Welcome, Q.E.D..** You last visited: Today at 09:05 PM Private Messages: Unread **1** , Total 17. [/QUOTE] Mine’s in the top right, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/24 "2007-10-21T13:55:14Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] Mine’s in the top right, FWIW. [/QUOTE] Thank you for confirming our suspicions that this is the **Q.E.D.** from the Mirror Universe.\* \*actually, the goatee _should_ have clued us in. ---
**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 21, 2007, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/25 "2007-10-21T13:59:58Z")
:smack: ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/26 "2007-10-21T15:03:27Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] :smack: [/QUOTE] If it makes you feel any better, when I was in the Air Force, they made me carry a rock in my right hand when I marched. 😃 ---
**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 21, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/27 "2007-10-21T15:15:57Z")
Left, rock, left, rock! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/28 "2007-10-21T18:03:34Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] 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? [/QUOTE] I feel less guilty about not checking mine so often now. 🙂 When I was a member I didn’t have PMs turned on. When I became a Moderator it seems to have been turned on automatically. It took me a while to realize the notification thingie was there. Is it possible yours has never been turned on? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/29 "2007-10-21T19:39:13Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] I feel less guilty about not checking mine so often now. 🙂 When I was a member I didn’t have PMs turned on. When I became a Moderator it seems to have been turned on automatically. It took me a while to realize the notification thingie was there. Is it possible yours has never been turned on? [/QUOTE] I had to look at that last statement VERY carefully!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398/30 "2007-10-25T21:59:26Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Or it could just be idiots on the Internet making baseless accusations about supposedly Nazi moderators. That happens, too. [/QUOTE] 😕 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mods-or-admins-ever-read-private-messages-between-members/422398.md?page=1)