[CHF]

VBulletin, I would suggest that you distance yourself from this mod. I think that it is a violation of the trust which users place in their forum administrators. I own a large website of about 170,000 users in the UK and if word got out that I had installed something like this (and word always gets out) I would have a mass revolution on my hands and can imagine that it could bring down the site.

Additionally we are presently being challenged under UK Data Protection laws to disclose to a certain individual any personal data we are holding on him. We don't hold personal data, but he thinks we do. In the list of disclosures, he has also demanded that we disclose the contents of private messages to him where they contain references to him. he is making an official complaint to the UK Information Commissioner.

I can tell you that if I had this mod installed, then I would be legally obliged to satisfy his request. The publicity would break us but also it could then lead to libel or other legal actions against our users. Data Protection laws are generally the same through out the European Union and therefore any other EU forum administrator who is considering this mod should reflect very carefully

Additional dramatic spin-offs could be to undermine the confidence of forum users throughout UK, Europe, the world.

If you want to build forums and other on-line communities then avoid this kind of modification completely. This is the kind of thing which gets approval in China or other highly regulatory jurisdictions.

Avoid and condemn at all costs