Hi Stacey, thank you for your response...I do appreciate it and also think it is the sort of comprehensive answer I was asking for...so, I thank you again.

In exchange, I will try to answer YOUR question, though perhaps you meant it to be a rhetorical question to make a point rather than actually seeking an answer. Here's one anyway...

When I joined Rosity, I was interested in looking at the tutorials and at uploading images. I'm sure I looked at the TOS at the time, but I think we'd both agree it's a rather long document (probably out of necessity)...right now it's about 4 full page screens (and that's using a much smaller font size than was in place when I joined) plus there are links within the TOS that take you to other pages (such as the copyright policy). It's a lot to read & absorb and I'm sure I focused the most on the parts of the site that I wanted to use. That's just human nature and most of us aren't lawyers used to reading lengthy legalese documents. If it was there when I joined, I probably saw the part about private messages, but since I didn't know anyone here that I'd be sending IM's to, I wouldn't have paid as much attention to it as say the gallery policies, so it didn't sink in...my mistake, to be sure, but again just human nature.

As you also know, for many members here, English is not the language they normally use, so there may be issues in fully understanding all of the parts of the TOS. I'm not saying that's your fault, but you ask "why" people might be surprised at site mail being monitored...they may never have fully understood those sections of the TOS.

Stacey, you have to work with the TOS everyday as part of your job. I expect you know it inside and out...probabaly better than any other admin here and that's quite commendable. The run-of-the-mill Rosity member hasn't memorized the TOS, and I don't think you really expect us to. Most of us know (or should know) the TOS sections that directly affect the parts of the site we use. So MY first reaction to this subject was, huh, I would think private messages are private.

So that's the answer to your question. If a member is being harrassed or threatened, I fully support the admins using all the tools available to them to put an end to that sort of behavior, including checking private messages...and I think most other people would agree. But I think you and I can also agree that there have been on-going concerns by the membership about whether Rosity rules & guidelines are always enforced equally & equitably from member-to-member or by admin-to-admin...as hard as you might try to discuss issues and reach a consensus view, differences can & do develop. So I have been pursuing this subject with that on-going concern in mind. Maybe DebbieM was saying the exact same thing you were on this subject, or maybe there are differences in views between the two of you...it doesn't really matter to me at this point.

Anyway, that's why some us were surprised. I would guess you've experienced the same sort of thing at some point in your own life, maybe a clause in a bank account policy burried back on page 33 you didn't know existed that suddenly had some relevence to you, or an insurance policy that excludes on page 16 the one thing you needed covered. It happens whenever documents are lengthy and it really shouldn't surprise you that it could happen at Rosity, too...imho.

Thanks again...peace to you, Jen

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