Privacy violations and leaking DMs: Is this a crime?

www.forum.hr/showpost.php?p=62643971&postcount=16

This is getting seriously close to a legal privacy violation...
Look, my name really is Zdravko.

The user descender basically outed me by revealing my private identity right here in public—along with several other members of this forum (I'll keep those names under wraps for now)

He went out of his way to make sure everyone knows exactly who I am!

It’s totally fine to disagree on stuff, but invading someone's privacy and personal life is actually against the law.

How secure is this forum really? Can we trust that our privacy is protected from people snooping through private messages?

I’m asking the moderators to please take this complaint seriously and take action against this breach of privacy, which is a criminal offense...

Controversial post
psychology forum topic
Topic: being judged by everyone because of
my earrings! Psychological warfare; Post 16.
www.forum.hr/showthread.php?p=62643971#post62643971

Based solely on this one post, I can't see how this constitutes a data leak, since nothing here connects back to anything else you've shared. In fact, aside from the post where you publicly shared your name—which was written after that controversial comment from descender—there isn't any other trace of your posts on this thread. We need to take a closer look at the specifics before making a call...

*we—the moderators and the admin

descenderova: ...plumber Zdravko.. plus a photo of me.

Look, let me clear things up for you:

That info was pulled straight from an old business ad I ran years ago offering plumbing services.

Without my cell number, it would've been pretty hard to find that stuff.

But that phone number was tucked away in my private messages!

Aren't forum DMs supposed to be private? Seriously, I'm asking.

To the admin and mods, just ask descender&co—they know the deal.

The whole reason behind this sneaky move that violates basic privacy rights was just some irrational, immature reaction to my post yesterday: Topic - Sharpened Senses, post 11; psychology forum topic.

There’s even more stuff floating around that everyone knows about.
Just throwing it out there... just in case.

Also, one of the moderators is involved here, using their power for their own agenda. I won't even name names. They'll be more than happy to explain themselves during your "consultations."

After all this, how is any regular user supposed to feel welcome here or feel free to speak their mind—within reason, obviously—without worrying that someone's gonna go digging through their private life??

While you guys take your time consulting and trying to be "objective," I'll be talking to my lawyer. It’s honestly pathetic if it really comes to that.

There are always plenty of ways to do the right thing.
A public apology is all I need, once the facts actually come out...

Happying, I’ve already said what I needed to say, so please go back and read my last post. Threatening me with legal action isn't going to change my mind...

I should also point out that you're accusing a moderator of abusing their authority here. Unlike the alleged data leak mentioned by descender, this is a very serious claim. You need to provide actual evidence or a clear explanation to back that up. Otherwise, my colleagues and I will simply have to treat your comment as trolling...

A few of us reviewed these posts, and none of us see any breach of privacy here since the entries aren't linked to any specific username at all.
If you feel like someone was describing you specifically—and you believe they're doing it intentionally to provoke a reaction—please let us know. We've seen similar situations before where it isn't just a coincidence. We can delete the content or issue a warning depending on the context, and take further action if the behavior continues. However, this particular instance doesn't qualify as a privacy leak; if anything, you're the one who shared too much information, both here and in the psychology forum topic.

Regarding the accusations against the moderators: if they are submitted again in this manner—vague, imprecise, and lacking any supporting evidence—the appeal will be sanctioned. Please take a moment to review what an appeal actually requires. You can find those details in the rules within this PDF.

Hey there,

Talking to a lawyer or reaching out to different agencies isn't some kind of threat—it’s just standard procedure, like asking for advice on anything else.

A consultation isn't some sneaky way to bypass a threat.

It's just a normal part of waking up to reality when someone starts questioning things; honestly, that should be everyone's right.

In this specific case, though, the reason for seeking counsel is unfortunately driven by curiosity regarding violations of fundamental human rights.

And we aren't just talking about one single privacy law here; there are several being hit at once.

Deleting those controversial posts and everything linked to them feels like a deliberate attempt to hide evidence.

Those posts are the actual proof, and they’re basically the starting point for this whole moderator-led and "legally restricted" complaint—specifically regarding the user under the alias descender and their privacy violations on this forum—

Look, I’m not the type of person to hold a grudge.
But I really don't get how someone as "smart" as descender can feel okay messing with someone else's privacy, which ends up indirectly invading the privacy and peace of mind of my own family...

Someone that brilliant might maybe... just a little bit... realize the Golden Rule and wonder how they'd feel if someone else was snooping through their private life and posting it publicly?

We're giving this person a chance to decide: do they keep going with these intentions and insinuations, digging for other people's weaknesses while ignoring their own, or do they just choose to be a decent human being?

Because this matter is so serious and sensitive, we'll be releasing our feedback in a few days after you finish your quick little investigation and reach a conclusion.

The door is always open for those with good intentions.

Can you confirm if you, on the moderation side, have actually given my complaint a thorough review?
Also, is your decision on my complaint considered final?

* it all makes sense now.

William Roberts3 said:Dear all...

Consulting with an attorney or various other institutions isn't a threat; it’s just a standard consultation, no different from any other inquiry...

Understood. You were just mentioning that in passing, mainly to satisfy our curiosity regarding whether you had sought legal counsel... 😁

Have you and the rest of the moderation team truly taken my complaint into serious consideration...
Second, is your conclusion regarding my lawsuit final...

Everything you need to know is right there in my previous reply...

Hey there,

How would you guys phrase your response to the question in the first post of this complaint to make it more specific?

Also, how secure is a site like Reddit when it comes to privacy breaches or people snooping through private messages?

I'm asking because of this whole complaint situation...

Access to private messages is strictly limited to the individual holding the account credentials. In other words, it is just you and anyone to whom you have personally handed over your passwords.
The only remaining avenue through which message content might be exposed is if the recipient reports a specific message for violating community guidelines. Should that occur, the moderators will then have the authority to review the reported content.