Allow users to post email addresses ?

[Nick600]

Some forums I'm part of do not allow user to post email addresses to public forums. The given reason for this is spambots apparently love users who post their email to public forums. I'm in the process of building my site now and just got done writing my basic forum rules. I plan on allowing users to post their email to public forums at their own risk but recommend they use private messaging to do this.

Two part question for you guys? Do you generally allow users to publicly post their email address and why/why not ? Are there other reasons not to allow email posting?

[SoftWareRevue]

Do you generally allow users to publicly post their email address and why/why not ?Allow.

Because that's what most people like to do. :)

Are there other reasons not to allow email posting?
Depending on the content of the forum, there could be other reasons. Sometimes the less information you supply to scammers and spammers, the better. :)

[B33R]

You can get mods that hide links (emails and sites), they only allow registered users to see the links.

They're a good way to keep user info safe without having to write and enforce extra rules.

[Nick600]

You can get mods that hide links (emails and sites), they only allow registered users to see the links.

They're a good way to keep user info safe without having to write and enforce extra rules.

That's sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

[Christian]

Do you generally allow users to publicly post their email address and why/why not ? Are there other reasons not to allow email posting?I usualy allow users to post their email addresses, but I don't recommend it. Reason? One word, Spam.

[CD Burnt]

what about posting other people's email addresses?

[Jan]

I have found the smarter posters use unbottable(?:P) email addresses, such as peternospam@nospammydomain.com or peter [at] mydomain [.] com, and variations to that effect.

[Doug]

I've also noticed people doing name [at] domain [dot] com, etc. We don't have any rules against people posting their email addresses and ask that members respect other's privacy and not post anyone else's contact information (email addrsess) included without their permission.

[lpstong]

I would allow the users to post their emails. I would also recommend not to either. Because of unwanted spam as well amongst other things...............

But if they do post an email. I would suggest them doing it in an pm or to write it in such a way on the thread that the bot doesnt understand. But that method can bring in human spamming as well.

Overall I would suggest not doing it publically.

[TheDPQ]

I don't have any rules against it, although it does sound like a good idea to not allow guests/bots to view an email address. People have various reasons for doing it. As long as they know its 'at their own risk' it seems sort of silly to 'protect people from themselves'.

Easy enough to do a thread/post/announcement/rule explaining why its a bad idea and informing people of an alternative form of contact (IE: User PMs, User Email function the board has, directing them how to have a contact form on the site... etc)

I personally prefer a PM or the email feature the board has because 1. users have to be logged in and 2. i turn on email notification so i get it in my inbox anyways.

[cyberturk]

Sometimes users really need to give their mails. So i allow them to post.