[StevenTN]

As an admin overseeing a site with almost 12,000 members, this is exactly how I see it...

PMs are not email... and while they are a form of 1-to-1 communication like email, they are contained entirely within the site and are subject to the same terms of use as the rest of the site.

I also look at it this way... past employers do have full right to snoop through their email and police it against personal use/abuse. I have always felt that PMs should be the same way, in that there should be a tool that allows us to police against abuses (spam via PM, flaming, illegal activity, etc.). In fact, the prevention of illegal activity on the site alone justifies my having this addon, as it introduces a level of liability to me as the operator of the site should any occur. While it may not prevent the illegal activity itself (they will likely take it elsewhere), it will at least allow us to keep our site clean, and to have documentation that we did not turn a blind eye to it and that we stopped it where we did should authorities get involved and question us.

At the same time though, I do not abuse it where I deliberately spy on members private conversations. I only use it when it is justified (member complaint, suspicious behavior, etc.).