Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby SephySJ » Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:38 pm

I'm about to join a certain forum site because a friend has asked me to and says it's a lot of fun, however, I happen to know that an old friend who I have fallen out with happens to be a moderator of the site. Obviously creating an account for the site involves me using my email address, and considering my email address is a give away as to who I am (being that it's my name), I reckon if that person happened to come across my account and see my email address, they'd know who I am, and I hate the idea of someone knowing who I am in real life on one of these sites (it's nothing sexual, just a media based site). I'm not embarrassed that they'll know who I am, I'd just rather they didn't know it was me, especially considering our friendship got a little bit ugly toward the end, and although I know they're probably not the type of person to act unjustly towards me (banning me, trolling me, talking shit, etc..) I'd still rather remain unknown. I know all forum sites probably won't work the same as each other, so there's no guarantee that moderators, say, on this site have the same access to certain information as on other sites. But I figured I'd ask anyway seeing as a lot of forum sites seem to be pretty similar in how they operate.

So basically, am I safe, in the unlikely event that that person should come across my account, in the knowledge that they have no way of knowing my email address and therefore knowing who I am? Or should I create a different email if I wish to remain anonymous?

Thanks

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby cloud » Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:20 pm

Hello.

With phpBB only admins with access to the admin control panel (acp) can view the e-mails of their members easily. In saying this their is no large list still, you have to click on the user and go to edit their settings, so even if your friend dose have this access, it is unlikely he will look at your account unless you give them reason to.

Moderators through the moderator control panel (mcp) from looking quickly myself (on a different website) have no access to e-mails on standard phpBB but i do know their are some modifications that can be done to let the mcp show e-mails, so this all depends on the site really.
Oh, a TUG! Do I have to play alone?
First Fictional Story (chapters 0-18): Moved Closer by Bondage

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby xtc » Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:03 am

Could you not create another e-mail address using another provider for the purpose of signing up?
Boxer shorts are cool,
but little speedos rule!

More by the same author: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=22729

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby SephySJ » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:51 am

Ah I see. Yeah I can, but I was hoping I could avoid such a thing for convenience sake, however I don't want to risk it. On the off chance that the person actually finds out it's me, they'd probably do something to try and embarrass me, and that I do not need. Thanks for your advice anyway :)

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby Jason Toddman » Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:13 am

Well, I'm a mod and I can tell you that *I* can't see your e-mail address. Though it may be because no one has shown me how to, I think I'd have stumbled onto how to track them by now if I was able to do so at all. May be different with admins though; Canuck or Zanev would have to answer that one.
However, it may be different for mods in other sites. I don't think there's any hard and fast rules about what a mod can or cannot do in a given site. I think such is determined by whoever creates the site in the first place.
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby zanev » Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:13 pm

Yes mods and admins can see your email.
I close my eyes, Inis Mona
And reminisce of those palmy days
I moon o'er you, Inis Mona
As long as I breathe
I'll call you my home

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby SephySJ » Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:00 pm

How about my IP address Zanev? I assume so?

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby Jason Toddman » Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:18 pm

Those *I* can see as a mod, but the things aren't quite as pinpoint accurate as most people seem to think they are.
Checking my own for instance gives me a location that's miles from where I actually am; though it does get the city right.
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby SephySJ » Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:27 pm

Ok thanks, I think I'd be safe on the IP front. Thanks for all your help

Re: Can moderators and administrators see my email address?

Postby zanev » Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:50 pm

SephySJ wrote:Ok thanks, I think I'd be safe on the IP front. Thanks for all your help



The IP's this site gives are useless. It shows me who provides your internet and the general city they are located from. If you trace mine it would say I'm in San Diego, CA. Which I am, but there are millions of people in my city so finding me based on that is impossible.

As for your email, the only one I have access to is the one you registered with. I only can see this because there is a feature that lets me change passwords (i dont see the current ones) and send emails to other users with instructions on reactivating their accounts should they be deactivated.

For instance i had a user who no longer had the email on file, and couldnt remember his password. He was able to identify the old email address and the IP matched up with the old account and the one he made to PM me. I simply set a new password, told him it and he was able to get back into his account.
I close my eyes, Inis Mona
And reminisce of those palmy days
I moon o'er you, Inis Mona
As long as I breathe
I'll call you my home