When it comes to buying and selling forum databases, where does the law stand? If a forum owner sells a database, including user data like emails, usernames, and posts, is this legal under privacy laws? Many privacy policies claim user data cannot be sold without explicit permission, yet buying entire sites, including member databases, isn’t uncommon. So, are these sales within the bounds of the law, or are they skating on thin ice?
If the database is anonymized by stripping personal information, does this sidestep legal issues? Some argue it’s ethical to keep users in the loop, offering them a chance to opt-out if their information is being transferred to a new owner. With privacy laws like GDPR in place, particularly in the EU, it seems like certain regions have clear rules—but the question remains: is it ever fully legal to sell forum user data?
If the database is anonymized by stripping personal information, does this sidestep legal issues? Some argue it’s ethical to keep users in the loop, offering them a chance to opt-out if their information is being transferred to a new owner. With privacy laws like GDPR in place, particularly in the EU, it seems like certain regions have clear rules—but the question remains: is it ever fully legal to sell forum user data?