Community Feedback - Posting private messages (2 Viewers)

Posting private messages on the forum. Should this be allowed?

  • YES

    Votes: 137 54.6%
  • NO

    Votes: 114 45.4%

  • Total voters
    251
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  1. Free speech
  2. Be an adult. Anything you post may most certainly be rebroadcast. Here, Facebook, Twitter.... whatever, you post it, it is known.
  3. Don't ever say anything that you wouldn't want someone else to hear. That's just being a good person.
I've received PMs that the sender asked me to keep confidential. I am honor-bound to that promise. I don't need an Admin to make me keep it confidential; You ask me to, I will keep it on the Down-Low. We may become bitter enemies down the road, but I will still maintain my honor.

Personally, I find it astounding that so many voted against free speech. WTF are you people sharing in PMs that you are afraid the recipient would rebroadcast?
 
If someone characterizes the contents of a “private” discussion in a way that impugns another member, the person whose reputation is on the line should be able to disclose contradictory “private” evidence. But otherwise, it’s usually a dick move.
 
I have no problem with it. If I'm acting like an ass to someone in PMs they should have all the right to post it for the world to see. The only thing I use PMs for here is sharing shipping and payment info, or to have a conversation without clogging a thread with OT talk.
 
  1. Free speech
  2. Be an adult. Anything you post may most certainly be rebroadcast. Here, Facebook, Twitter.... whatever, you post it, it is known.
  3. Don't ever say anything that you wouldn't want someone else to hear. That's just being a good person.
I've received PMs that the sender asked me to keep confidential. I am honor-bound to that promise. I don't need an Admin to make me keep it confidential; You ask me to, I will keep it on the Down-Low. We may become bitter enemies down the road, but I will still maintain my honor.

Personally, I find it astounding that so many voted against free speech. WTF are you people sharing in PMs that you are afraid the recipient would rebroadcast?
Can you explain how voting "should not be allowed to post private messages" is the same thing as being against free speech? Or did i missunderstand something?
 
  1. Free speech
  2. Be an adult. Anything you post may most certainly be rebroadcast. Here, Facebook, Twitter.... whatever, you post it, it is known.
  3. Don't ever say anything that you wouldn't want someone else to hear. That's just being a good person.
I've received PMs that the sender asked me to keep confidential. I am honor-bound to that promise. I don't need an Admin to make me keep it confidential; You ask me to, I will keep it on the Down-Low. We may become bitter enemies down the road, but I will still maintain my honor.

Personally, I find it astounding that so many voted against free speech. WTF are you people sharing in PMs that you are afraid the recipient would rebroadcast?

I have no problem with it. If I'm acting like an ass to someone in PMs they should have all the right to post it for the world to see. The only thing I use PMs for here is sharing shipping and payment info, or to have a conversation without clogging a thread with OT talk.


Good points. I don't think I say anything privately that I wouldn't say publicly either (other thing giving tracking or payment information to a buyer/seller).

Anyone that goes and blasts someone's private messages publicly with malicious intent really works to harm their on reputation in my view. We have seen situations where someone goes AWOL or a sale/trade goes sideways and it isn't until they post publicly that it gets resolved. Weird that it has to come to that sometimes
 
Personally, I find it astounding that so many voted against free speech. WTF are you people sharing in PMs that you are afraid the recipient would rebroadcast?
It's not about free speech, and it's not about being afraid. It's about keeping private things private, like in any other aspects of our lives. I consider direct conversations private as they were one-to-one (if that was the case).
 
I believe people answering the survey are interpreting this differently and conflating two different questions...

What people are responding to...
Posting private messages on the forum. Is this generally an asshole move?

What Tommy is asking...
Posting private messages on the forum. Should this be outright banned absolutely and enforced by the site Admins?
 
I think the way it is handled in journalism is a useful guide.

In journalism, a source can ask to keep something off the record.

But *not* retroactively, or even simultaneously with the request. The journalist has to agree to the confidentiality first.

You can’t just blurt out to a reporter, “Confidentially, I know that Tommy was Deep Throat,” and expect it to be kept secret.

But you can say, “I’d like to go off the record to discuss the identity of Deep Throat.” If (and only if) the reporter agrees and says, “OK, we’re off the record now—whaddya got,” then you can say, “IT WAS TOMMY!”

Note: You need to be clear when you then want to go back on the record.

You also want to be clear whether you are providing the info as an anonymous source—publishable but not attributable to you—versus info provided “on background,” which means the reporter can use the information to inform their overall investigation, but not include the specifics. In that case you’re only providing context, not an anonymous quote.

Unfortunately in today’s news this framework is pretty abused, usually by people in government who want their point of view reported without facing any consequences such as proving their claims... A lot of reporters allow people to go off the record and put things anonymously into stories when they shouldn’t.
 
Conduct yourself honestly, in good faith, and behave like an adult and you will hopefully never be put in such a situation. It is unfortunate that is too much to ask for some people, especially when you adhere to this and still get screwed/scammed.

If you are in such a situation, try to bring in a neutral party or moderator to help sort it out first. If the nuclear option happens and the involved parties start flinging shit around like baboons, then I guess everything but personal information (addresses etc.) can be aired out if those involved open the flood-gates or have to prove the other person/people are lying. Always shoot for amicable resolution first; sometimes stepping away from the keyboard for a short time can help.
 
It's not about free speech, and it's not about being afraid. It's about keeping private things private, like in any other aspects of our lives. I consider direct conversations private as they were one-to-one (if that was the case).
We, as a society, repeat one off conversations all the time to other people. It’s a big part of how we pass information along about all kinds of non nefarious subjects all the time.
 
I would lean towards no. Since you know, they're 'private' messages. Although, there are always exceptions to the rule. As folks have already noted, if there is a situation involving scams, etc. it may be in the public interest to post a message.

Having said that, don't think it should fall on mods to handle dispute resolution. As well, no one should really have the expectation of any sort of privacy on a discussion forum so post and PM accordingly.
 
We, as a society, repeat one off conversations all the time to other people. It’s a big part of how we pass information along about all kinds of non nefarious subjects all the time.
Yes, but no. Not the same at all.
 
I think if you have to hide stuff then you have neither of these
Absolutely agree and that was not my case, I had done nothing to deserve it.
I'm not going to go back to that episode, that's not the point, I was giving my general feeling on the matter.
 
Voted yes..
Reason? I was reported as potential scammer for refusal to sell item (posted on PCF Classifieds) via eBay.
How I can defend myself against slander if I can not show PM?
 
Can you explain how voting "should not be allowed to post private messages" is the same thing as being against free speech? Or did i missunderstand something?
The question is about regulating what you can prove.

Sure, I wouldn't want someone to blast my home address that I sent in a PM, but I don't ever think that has happened. Even if it had, I'm sure a Mod would gladly remove it upon request.

The only time I see PM's reposted publicly is when there has been a dispute. Dispute threads can be ugly, and you have 2 parties claiming "You said...". Restricting the reposting of a PM is a gag order. People can still rephrase what the PM said, or re-interpret what was said, but the gag order prevents a screenshot from letting the world know what actually was said.
 
Are there recent examples of PMs being posted and context of why it happened? Did mods have to clean it up and delete/edit the offending post?
 
Can you guys believe this stupid question I just got from @HMK?

SmartSelect_20210405-183329_Chrome.jpg
 
Are there recent examples of PMs being posted and context of why it happened? Did mods have to clean it up and delete/edit the offending post?
Yes.
Context : Because of an angry face -- EDIT : not mine at all !

The author edited his post by himself understanding his mistake.
 
No, this should not be allowed. In general I believe people should manage their own issues without involving PCF moderators or the entirety of the forum; however, I also feel it is important to discuss this topic impartially. The most relevant analogy to this situation is recording a telephone call. US Federal law permits the recording of a call if one of the parties consents to the recording, and such a recording is fully admissible in an actual trial. That said, providing a recording of such a private conversation to a person that was not legally present (e.g., able to overhear the conversation above the noise in the room), such as the entirety of the PCF forum, is likely an illegal act and opens a completely different can of worms. All of PCF should be governed by the Terms of Service, and the general expectation to not behave like a four year old should fully apply even in PMs. PMs have a report function for just such ToS abuse. Other than that, your PMs should come with some expectation of privacy, as PCF isn't a formal trial and bringing in a third party to a private recording is likely a no-no. The rules governing use of such a recording vary by country and even by state (in the US). The simplest solution that is least likely to cause issues is to not allow the posting of PMs on PCF.
 
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I voted “yes” it should be allowed. Doesn’t mean that it should happen all the time but in the case of a dispute I think that it may be relied on.

Also if people know that their douchebaggery will be exposed they’re more likely to behave.
 
Everyone just needs to enter all personal info ie: name, age, address, SSN, credit card info, mother's maiden name, etc so the public doxing will be easier for all the easily offended snowflakes whenever they start having a slap fight over their chippies. ;):rolleyes:
 
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