Is it okay to post private messages?

cosmictinker21 said:You know, Megan, when someone sends me something nasty or starts leaking other people's private info, and I tell them it’s out of line but they just keep going... well, that’s when you have to report it. You have to find a way to stop that person from harassing you. When someone takes your personal business and spreads it to people who have no business knowing, you should use every tool available—alert the admins, the mods, whoever is running the show. On other sites, it really just depends on whether the management allows that kind of behavior or not. Here, message privacy is actually somewhat regulated to protect people from malicious harassment. It happened to me once where some idiot hacked one of my old accounts and started sending stupid messages. Honestly, that part was fine, but they were sending those moronic messages in my name to other people. You can imagine how much I hated being provoked by people or having them write nonsense about me... stone-faced, truly. I also dealt with some harassment from those weird clone accounts, and when they finally got banned, they spent all their time whining about how the moderators were being unfair.

It’s honestly pathetic when people stoop to this level of public internet bickering because they don't have the guts to face someone in person. If you actually know someone—if you have their number or see them in real life—those kinds of conflicts get settled one-on-one. Whenever anyone sends a private message here that becomes an issue, there's every right to report it and defend yourself publicly. Nobody wants the rest of the community living under a delusion just because someone is spreading lies about them. Sorry, but no. Personally, I wouldn't want people judging me based on things that aren't true. They have every right to judge me based on my public posts, sure, but not based on behind-the-scenes whispers and smirks... though, I suppose one should stand by everything they write, even the private stuff.

And the moderators, good grief, they're all over the place. It's strange, for instance, how a single forum can be ruled with such a narrow mindset, even when the topics are so broad that a decent mod would need to understand actual science rather than just acting like some little social studies professor. Having a general education is a rare commodity these days, mostly found in circles of genuine intellectuals. And being an intellectual is a state of mind, not something you get from a specific degree. It's about having knowledge and the ability to think broadly—being open-minded, instead of being a slave to petty, small-minded local interests or sucking up to anyone who claps for you. Ah well. There's injustice, there's stupidity. Don't worry. It'll all pass...

driftingfox33 said:What are you even talking about...? 😕
This is pure off-topic stuff... and you're totally hijacking the thread.

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Way back in the day, posting PMs was a huge no-no—the admins used to treat it like one of the worst offenses you could commit.

I'm talking about sharing the messages themselves, not the bans. ☕

Michelle Alvarez8 said:No offense intended, but honestly? The current rules are actually pretty solid, especially considering who put them together.

By letting private messages be posted—and not slapping anyone with a penalty for it—we’re setting a really nasty precedent. Just try looking at it from the perspective of someone whose private DMs were leaked. I wouldn't be feeling too great about it myself, whether it was meant as a joke, some teasing, or straight-up cyberbullying.

It gets even messier when a moderator is allowed to post a user's private message without any consequences at all—regardless of what it says. Instead of Kiki and Toc trying to fix things by leaking private messages, moderators should be handling those issues privately with the admins. Plus, I find it hard to believe a regular user would get away with posting a private message from a moderator. And let’s be real—if the mods (and admins) know how to send abusive messages... they definitely do.

Double standards are never a "quality" solution, you know? But since they seem to be a constant here on this forum—I guess it's just part of the charm, right?

Sam Green73 said:I actually went looking for this in the current terms of service.
I didn't find anything.

Honestly, people should have the right to be protected from spam and harassment through PMs.

Kyle King4 said:You took the words right out of my mouth. Just like that whole thing about posting how many sides of cardboard you have. Absolute rock bottom.
Low blows that the mods should, in principle, be strong enough to ignore.

Morgan Rodriguez57 said:Nah... well, at least that was how things worked back in my day—you could say just about anything in the PMs, and a mod (or anyone else, really) wasn't allowed to post them or punish you for them...

hollowtrucker77 said:So, we’ve got a new big-shot head admin on our hands now, and let’s just hold onto a shred of hope that things actually start moving in a better direction for once.
I also find myself having to agree with Michelle Alvarez8 yet again—and honestly, maybe there’s just something fundamentally wrong with my own brain—but it really isn't worth wasting any energy on those self-proclaimed keyboard heroes. Their entire purpose in life seems to be nothing more than trying to reach peak levels of being a total pain in the ass.
Unfortunately for them, though, in about 99% of cases, they can't even manage to pull that off.
😉

hollowtrucker77 said:So, we’ve got a new big-shot head admin on our hands now, and let’s just hold onto a shred of hope that things actually start moving in a better direction for once.
I also find myself having to agree with Michelle Alvarez8 yet again—and honestly, maybe there’s just something fundamentally wrong with my own brain—but it really isn't worth wasting any energy on those self-proclaimed keyboard heroes. Their entire purpose in life seems to be nothing more than trying to reach peak levels of being a total pain in the ass.
Unfortunately for them, though, in about 99% of cases, they can't even manage to pull that off.
😉

hollowtrucker77 said:So, we’ve got a new big-shot head admin on our hands now, and let’s just hold onto a shred of hope that things actually start moving in a better direction for once.
I also find myself having to agree with Michelle Alvarez8 yet again—and honestly, maybe there’s just something fundamentally wrong with my own brain—but it really isn't worth wasting any energy on those self-proclaimed keyboard heroes. Their entire purpose in life seems to be nothing more than trying to reach peak levels of being a total pain in the ass.
Unfortunately for them, though, in about 99% of cases, they can't even manage to pull that off.
😉

Megan White4 said:Those were the good old days... ☕

Of course. What’s permitted for Jupiter isn't necessarily permitted for an ox... or, to put it more plainly: what's acceptable for a moderator doesn't always apply to the average forum user.

It’s hard to argue that a single DM counts as spamming—certainly not compared to someone flooding the boards with endless posts. If you don't start following the Golden Rule, I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands.There are certain points that keep popping up in the photography threads. They’re mostly just facts mixed with a little sarcasm and some lighthearted ribbing—hardly what anyone would call heavy insults. If someone finds themselves unable to take a joke, honestly, that's their own problem. ☕

Sure. Let's see who actually holds the moderator titles then... ☕

The good old days. ☕

I have my doubts. ☕

I assume this is directed my way, but what’s the deal with moderators like Kiki? They can be such a pain in the ass, constantly nitpicking over every tiny rule violation and cluttering the forum with posts like "The Golden Rule must be respected." Is it just me, or does that whole vibe feel a bit too much like "Big Brother is watching you"?

Unless they enjoy the privilege of being a forum moderator... It’s a known truth that in certain situations, there’s a clear distinction: What’s the difference between God and a forum moderator? God doesn't walk around thinking he's a forum moderator. ☕

By the way, I know this is off-topic, but I’m genuinely curious about how that works. On the Diaspora subforum, you're allowed to include up to six images per post.That’s the rule, with a few possible exceptions. Meanwhile, over on the photography forum—where there's actually a legitimate reason to include more than a few shots per post—you're strictly capped at four. If you go over, they just wipe the extras regardless of the context. Honestly, that's exactly what triggered this whole mess between me and Kiki.

Megan White4 said:Those were the good old days... ☕

Of course. What’s permitted for Jupiter isn't necessarily permitted for an ox... or, to put it more plainly: what's acceptable for a moderator doesn't always apply to the average forum user.

It’s hard to argue that a single DM counts as spamming—certainly not compared to someone flooding the boards with endless posts. If you don't start following the Golden Rule, I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands.There are certain points that keep popping up in the photography threads. They’re mostly just facts mixed with a little sarcasm and some lighthearted ribbing—hardly what anyone would call heavy insults. If someone finds themselves unable to take a joke, honestly, that's their own problem. ☕

Sure. Let's see who actually holds the moderator titles then... ☕

The good old days. ☕

I have my doubts. ☕

I assume this is directed my way, but what’s the deal with moderators like Kiki? They can be such a pain in the ass, constantly nitpicking over every tiny rule violation and cluttering the forum with posts like "The Golden Rule must be respected." Is it just me, or does that whole vibe feel a bit too much like "Big Brother is watching you"?

Unless they enjoy the privilege of being a forum moderator... It’s a known truth that in certain situations, there’s a clear distinction: What’s the difference between God and a forum moderator? God doesn't walk around thinking he's a forum moderator. ☕

By the way, I know this is off-topic, but I’m genuinely curious about how that works. On the Diaspora subforum, you're allowed to include up to six images per post.That’s the rule, with a few possible exceptions. Meanwhile, over on the photography forum—where there's actually a legitimate reason to include more than a few shots per post—you're strictly capped at four. If you go over, they just wipe the extras regardless of the context. Honestly, that's exactly what triggered this whole mess between me and Kiki.

Michelle Alvarez8 said:From this, I know you weren't giving Jane Doe a hard time back then. Because if you were, the FBI would have shown up, taken your head off, and—well, you know—left you in a bad way. 😁

Ah, those classic "we're stepping on you just because we can" moves. It’s like when the teller at my bank tells me my credit card can't be fully paid off—it has to stay revolving. Then the guys in the credit department tell me it *can* be paid in full. So I end up getting jerked around for two weeks straight. Eventually, I just lose it, leave work early, walk into the branch, and chew her out so hard she has to call the manager. And I had already worked everything out perfectly with the manager! Of course, my card ended up deactivated anyway, even though it got reactivated without me signing a single thing.

It's the same deal with moderators. Just by being on this forum, you've accepted the fact that you're gonna get squeezed from time to time. And honestly? That's fine. As long as they aren't crushing you completely. Then it starts to sting. But you're smart—you come prepared with plenty of grease and some good old-fashioned Vaseline, which is basically a staple in every household. Including our little forum family.

They hit you with infractions and bans, and you hit them with whatever snarky comments you can muster. We're all just bumping heads like a bunch of wild monkeys. And hey, it's great—provided we don't go overboard. That's why we have administrators to keep us in line. Mr. Pink, White, Dante, and the rest.

Man, this forum has been a mess ever since Vienna left. You could actually have a decent argument with her and settle things. 😢

Michelle Alvarez8 said:From this, I know you weren't giving Jane Doe a hard time back then. Because if you were, the FBI would have shown up, taken your head off, and—well, you know—left you in a bad way. 😁

Ah, those classic "we're stepping on you just because we can" moves. It’s like when the teller at my bank tells me my credit card can't be fully paid off—it has to stay revolving. Then the guys in the credit department tell me it *can* be paid in full. So I end up getting jerked around for two weeks straight. Eventually, I just lose it, leave work early, walk into the branch, and chew her out so hard she has to call the manager. And I had already worked everything out perfectly with the manager! Of course, my card ended up deactivated anyway, even though it got reactivated without me signing a single thing.

It's the same deal with moderators. Just by being on this forum, you've accepted the fact that you're gonna get squeezed from time to time. And honestly? That's fine. As long as they aren't crushing you completely. Then it starts to sting. But you're smart—you come prepared with plenty of grease and some good old-fashioned Vaseline, which is basically a staple in every household. Including our little forum family.

They hit you with infractions and bans, and you hit them with whatever snarky comments you can muster. We're all just bumping heads like a bunch of wild monkeys. And hey, it's great—provided we don't go overboard. That's why we have administrators to keep us in line. Mr. Pink, White, Dante, and the rest.

Man, this forum has been a mess ever since Vienna left. You could actually have a decent argument with her and settle things. 😢

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Look... Steven Ruiz is practically a rookie compared to some of the old-school and current admins—just let her be. She definitely messed up big time with the President, but honestly, you aren't exactly innocent for sending him off like that either. All you guys really need to do is offer a sincere apology to one another and get back to the usual fun stuff.

Is it just me, or is Mafia Wars acting up for everyone else too..? 😵

Morgan Rodriguez57 said:Nah... well, at least that was how things worked back in my day—you could say just about anything in the PMs, and a mod (or anyone else, really) wasn't allowed to post them or punish you for them...

Megan White4 said:And because I was "getting under their skin," Steven Ruiz (or some self-important administrator she's cozy with) slapped a permanent ban on my photography. It wasn't even about what I actually did with the photo; it was "preventative." Apparently, mentioning something I might do on another site was enough to make her feel threatened....

Daniel Ward87 said:Yeah... dealing with people spewing nonsense at the moderators is really the Administrator's call...

That said, I'm with Michelle Alvarez8—leaking private messages in public isn't right 👍. But think about this: what if the Admin drops a ban because someone sent an insulting PM to a mod, and then that user goes to the KzB complaining they have no idea why they got sanctioned? How do you prove it without showing the message? If the reason just says "due to an insulting PM," people are going to start spinning stories, claiming it's fake or demanding proof—even though the rule against sharing PMs still stands 🤷

Daniel Ward87

Megan White4 said:Perhaps I am, but two wrongs don't make a right. And frankly, I have no intention of apologizing to her until my ban from the photography section is lifted, and she stops harassing people and spamming threads with those rule warnings she's so pathologically obsessed with... ☕

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Stop playing games and making drama out of nothing. 🙄

I told you already—just take a step back, offer an apology, and wave the white flag. Of course, that’s all assuming you actually mean it! If you do, even the moderators will have to step in—even if they aren't used to dealing with this kind of thing—and you'll eventually find a solution that works for everyone.

As for why Steven Ruiz is so obsessed with the rules? Just look at how many years he's been hanging around here. Women tend to lose their minds a little bit in this environment—it happens—so you just have to be more careful and tactical with them. There's really no point in digging your heels in and saying, "I won't apologize, they need to do this and that," because you aren't going to get anywhere. You'll just stay banned, and the mods will use it as a precedent to keep doing whatever they want.

If you can manage to get your access to the photo gallery restored gracefully and smooth things over with Steven Ruiz, maybe the rest of these sheep will finally wake up and realize the mods can't just do whatever they feel like. They're already talking about leaking private messages and potential penalties. This whole situation could be a massive learning moment—not just for you and the mods, but for the entire forum.

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Stop playing games and making drama out of nothing. 🙄

I told you already—just take a step back, offer an apology, and wave the white flag. Of course, that’s all assuming you actually mean it! If you do, even the moderators will have to step in—even if they aren't used to dealing with this kind of thing—and you'll eventually find a solution that works for everyone.

As for why Steven Ruiz is so obsessed with the rules? Just look at how many years he's been hanging around here. Women tend to lose their minds a little bit in this environment—it happens—so you just have to be more careful and tactical with them. There's really no point in digging your heels in and saying, "I won't apologize, they need to do this and that," because you aren't going to get anywhere. You'll just stay banned, and the mods will use it as a precedent to keep doing whatever they want.

If you can manage to get your access to the photo gallery restored gracefully and smooth things over with Steven Ruiz, maybe the rest of these sheep will finally wake up and realize the mods can't just do whatever they feel like. They're already talking about leaking private messages and potential penalties. This whole situation could be a massive learning moment—not just for you and the mods, but for the entire forum.

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Stop playing games and making drama out of nothing. 🙄

I told you already—just take a step back, offer an apology, and wave the white flag. Of course, that’s all assuming you actually mean it! If you do, even the moderators will have to step in—even if they aren't used to dealing with this kind of thing—and you'll eventually find a solution that works for everyone.

As for why Steven Ruiz is so obsessed with the rules? Just look at how many years he's been hanging around here. Women tend to lose their minds a little bit in this environment—it happens—so you just have to be more careful and tactical with them. There's really no point in digging your heels in and saying, "I won't apologize, they need to do this and that," because you aren't going to get anywhere. You'll just stay banned, and the mods will use it as a precedent to keep doing whatever they want.

If you can manage to get your access to the photo gallery restored gracefully and smooth things over with Steven Ruiz, maybe the rest of these sheep will finally wake up and realize the mods can't just do whatever they feel like. They're already talking about leaking private messages and potential penalties. This whole situation could be a massive learning moment—not just for you and the mods, but for the entire forum.

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Stop playing games and making drama out of nothing. 🙄

I told you already—just take a step back, offer an apology, and wave the white flag. Of course, that’s all assuming you actually mean it! If you do, even the moderators will have to step in—even if they aren't used to dealing with this kind of thing—and you'll eventually find a solution that works for everyone.

As for why Steven Ruiz is so obsessed with the rules? Just look at how many years he's been hanging around here. Women tend to lose their minds a little bit in this environment—it happens—so you just have to be more careful and tactical with them. There's really no point in digging your heels in and saying, "I won't apologize, they need to do this and that," because you aren't going to get anywhere. You'll just stay banned, and the mods will use it as a precedent to keep doing whatever they want.

If you can manage to get your access to the photo gallery restored gracefully and smooth things over with Steven Ruiz, maybe the rest of these sheep will finally wake up and realize the mods can't just do whatever they feel like. They're already talking about leaking private messages and potential penalties. This whole situation could be a massive learning moment—not just for you and the mods, but for the entire forum.

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Stop playing games and making drama out of nothing. 🙄

I told you already—just take a step back, offer an apology, and wave the white flag. Of course, that’s all assuming you actually mean it! If you do, even the moderators will have to step in—even if they aren't used to dealing with this kind of thing—and you'll eventually find a solution that works for everyone.

As for why Steven Ruiz is so obsessed with the rules? Just look at how many years he's been hanging around here. Women tend to lose their minds a little bit in this environment—it happens—so you just have to be more careful and tactical with them. There's really no point in digging your heels in and saying, "I won't apologize, they need to do this and that," because you aren't going to get anywhere. You'll just stay banned, and the mods will use it as a precedent to keep doing whatever they want.

If you can manage to get your access to the photo gallery restored gracefully and smooth things over with Steven Ruiz, maybe the rest of these sheep will finally wake up and realize the mods can't just do whatever they feel like. They're already talking about leaking private messages and potential penalties. This whole situation could be a massive learning moment—not just for you and the mods, but for the entire forum.

Sam Green73 As stated by:
I attempted to look that up according to the current regulations.
I haven't been able to locate it.

Daniel Ward87 said:Yeah... dealing with people spewing nonsense at the moderators is really the Administrator's call...

That said, I'm with Michelle Alvarez8—leaking private messages in public isn't right 👍. But think about this: what if the Admin drops a ban because someone sent an insulting PM to a mod, and then that user goes to the KzB complaining they have no idea why they got sanctioned? How do you prove it without showing the message? If the reason just says "due to an insulting PM," people are going to start spinning stories, claiming it's fake or demanding proof—even though the rule against sharing PMs still stands 🤷

Daniel Ward87