Are PMs private?

I had been reading that thread a few days ago now I cannot find it, anybody know where it has gone

Mods can't read PMs, simple as that.

Ava is talking about a "Visitor Message" on her profile which is public. The email address was removed from the VM by a moderator because the message is public. The message can still clearly be seen on the profile she posted it in but minus the email address and with a footnote added that says:

EDIT: Email address removed by moderator, since personal contact details may not be given anywhere on the discussion forums, other than PMs.

It's a shame you felt the need to post this thread and make members paranoid rather than just querying the situation by PM.

Sorry, Bannick, if you feel I've ratcheted up the fear factor on HP! It was an innocent enquiry. Why don't you delete this whole thread, then no one need be made paranoid by it.

Please be assured, sunanda, that nothing has changed since Mike gave the assurance that PMs can only be read by the person to whom they are sent, not by anyone else.

With the forum upgrade nearly two years ago, this sticky was posted at the top of this very forum, General Discussions:

[url]** All Members - re the HP upgrade **[/url]

which very succinctly describes the new facility of Visitor Messages, as quite distinct from Private Messages, and explains why members should not post their email addresses in them.

Should a moderator in the course of their duties find an email address has been posted in a Visitor Message on another member's profile, then it is edited to remove it. Time permitting, and as there is no auto edit line in VMs, then a PM [Private Message] is sent to advise the member of the edit.

Private Message should mean what it says, and the content NOT be divulged on the public forums.

I trust that the above has adequately explained things, and that there will be no further speculation on what may amount to nothing more than a PM not having been understood.

The thread mentioned by crystal_rose is under discussion by the moderators and is not currently available on the public forums.

Any further queries of this nature are really best raised either by PM to a moderator, or the Contact Us link at the foot of every page.

Holistic
Healthypages Moderator

EDIT: I see Bannick and I have both posted at the same time, but the situation should therefore be even doubly clear!

I find this all highly disturbing, along with news from Fadette that she has been sanctioned for her attitude on her TV makes us evil thread. IMVVHO it was other HP members who caused a problem on that thread, not Fadette.
I think the volcanic ash is smothering us all with nastiness vibes. 🙁

Fadette sanctioned for the TV thread? I agree with you, Sunanda, it was other members over-reacting to her posts that brought the tone down!

Fadette sanctioned for the TV thread? I agree with you, Sunanda, it was other members over-reacting to her posts that brought the tone down!

What did Fadette do that was so bad? As far as i can remember she just expressed her feelings and then defended them......she didn't attack anyone or become abusive, unlike certain other posters.

moderators hat on
Dear All,

Sunanda's original question has now been answered, even twice over on this thread (lol), with the appropriate advice that PMs are indeed private. Matters conveyed by the Moderating Team in connection with the running of the forums by this means are done this way so as to preserve confidentiality, but also to avoid any potential embarassment to the member concerned. It would not be appropriate to discuss such private matters on the open forums, and therefore we ask that members now kindly refrain from speculating and commenting by further off-topic posts which detract from the OP.

Many thanks
Moonfairy
On behalf of the HP Moderating Team

thank you all, you are lovely, I feel sorry for having made everybody worry.
thank you Sunanda!