[Kini]

I recently read a thread where another member had an extremely negative experience with a dealer. During the discussion, this member pasted actual text from the dealer's email into the thread. I could tell this was directly from the dealer, because I interact with this person myself and know their conversation style.

This practice concerns me; it seems analogous to recording a coversation and posting it as an audio file.

I realize that the expectations of privacy around phone conversations and email conversations are probably different legally and maybe ethically-I'm not trying to start that debate. I'm thinking about this from the "it's the right thing to do" perspective.

I'm just wondering what others think...

 

[EZ]

I think I might be inclined to post a copy of the dialogue only if someone were to be calling me a liar or grossly and intentionally misrepresenting the situation.

Legal / Not Legal to post publicly? Maybe Grumps knows. It seems you can sue someone for looking at you funny or hypnotizing you into eating too many hamburgers or whatever these days - whether it's in the parameters of the law or not.

Assuming this would only happen in the event of a negative situation, hopefully more private channels of communication have been utilized first.

 

[Enviroguy]

I think posting the emails may have been the only objective way to tell the story. The readers were able to decide for themselves what actually happened rather than just getting a one-sided description from the person posting. And though the emails became "personal", they were actually commercial in nature and I don't see where any expectation of privacy would apply. All in all, it was very informative in my opinion.

 

[Jonathan C.]

I think e-mails are in. When you are dealing with a merchant, the only way that you may get the truth is if you post them, and with your statement earlier. Should he be able to cut and paste certain things no, whole conversation yes. I don't believe that their is an expectation of privacy.

 

[Dr G]

I disagree. We have previously witnessed the selective editing of e-mail exchanges. Bad news. Private communications are just that unless stipulated by both parties that they are for public disclosure.

 

[tjontheroad]

If came in an email, it's gotta be true right? I don't think so! You can post all the emails you want. That doesn't mean I'll believe what they say. The only protocal is to judge for yourself what you're reading and make up your own mind.

 

[BobbyC]

There's nothing private about email.

When you hit that send button, every server your message passes through is a chance someone can read that message.
You should never feel your emails are private.

Whether or not you should post your email conversation in a forum is another situation.

 

[Jonathan C.]

The only way I would ever include e-mails with a dealer observations. Is if and only if everything turned out alright. And in that case their is no need for the e-mails to be used.