What if a member regularly complains in the forums about the site (e.g., site speed, conversion issues, general fairness of how members are treated by the admins, etc). Does this member become a subject of having their private messages or email scrutinized by the admins?

No, that does NOT happen

 

• What if a member posts a controversial image in the galleries, one which fully conforms to the TOS, but which some admin strongly dislikes. Does this member suddenly get their private messages or email scrutinized by the admins?

Again, NO of course not, that is not even close to what the TOS meant or I meant

What if a member who purchased a product in the store is really unhappy with the item, complains bitterly about it but can never get the matter resolved either with the merchant or the store manager. The member NEVER makes any threats, or harrassment or personal attacks, but has a heated argument with the store manager about the issue. Can this member's private messages or email be scrutinized by the admins?

Once again NO, this wouldn't be any cause for us to "scrutinize" their site mail

What if an admin learns that a member has been discussing that admin ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITE...perhaps making disparaging remarks about that admin...but NONE of that discussion is ever made on Renderosity. Does this member's private messages or email get rifled through, too?

I'm seeing a pattern, LOL again NO.

What if a Renderosity merchant has a dispute with the admins concerning a product. Can the admins go through the merchant's emails & private messages looking for incriminating evidence against the merchant?

Again NO that doesn't happen

What happens if a member gets banned from the site because some admin has misinterpreted the member's email or private messages...reads something out of context or thinks it says something it, in fact, doesn't.

As stated several times now, we do this only in cases that require it, harrassment complaints, threat complaints, etc.  The scenario you described above has never happened since I have been here and never heard of a case like that so I don't think someone would be "banned" because an admin "misinterpreted" something. So again I'll have to say No that doesn't happen

That section has been in the TOS as long as I have been here (over 4 years) so I'm wondering did some not read the TOS that they agreed to?