# I'm unable to send a private message

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-unable-to-send-a-private-message/374990>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [October 2, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-unable-to-send-a-private-message/374990 "2006-10-02T16:34:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-unable-to-send-a-private-message/374990/1 "2006-10-02T16:34:41Z")

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When I try to send a PM, I get this screen:

iwakura43, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else’s post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?  
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.  
I remember having problems with the activation procedure in the past, when I changed my email address and for some reason never receive the confirmation email. Could one of the nice admins please fix it so I can send a message? Thanks 🙂

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**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-unable-to-send-a-private-message/374990/2 "2006-10-02T16:38:03Z")

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[QUOTE=iwakura43]  
I remember having problems with the activation procedure in the past, when I changed my email address and for some reason never receive the confirmation email. Could one of the nice admins please fix it so I can send a message?  
[/QUOTE]

It can’t be done. Private messaging, along with some other features, has been disabled on the SDMB.

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**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-unable-to-send-a-private-message/374990/3 "2006-10-03T15:02:18Z")

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The way to get around it is to just walk over to the person’s cubicle you wish to message.

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**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-unable-to-send-a-private-message/374990/4 "2006-10-03T19:57:50Z")

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[QUOTE=Greenback]  
The way to get around it is to just walk over to the person’s cubicle you wish to message.  
[/QUOTE]  
Alternately, you can start a thread entitled **Message for \<name\> – Private! All others please ignore**

I’m sure everyone will respect your wishes.

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**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-unable-to-send-a-private-message/374990/5 "2006-10-06T02:59:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> The way to get around it is to just walk over to the person’s cubicle you wish to message.

But remember to log off when leaving your computer unattended, or ewe may live to regret it.