I’ve been asked how messages posted to eForums can be deleted by those who post them. The short answer is: they cannot.
Once you post a message to an eForum, it will remain posted until it is subject to deletion by ACRP. You cannot go into ‘My Messages’ and choose delete and have that message removed from the eForum(s) to which you posted the message. Choosing ‘Delete’ from ‘My Messages’ only removes it from you ‘My Messages’ storage box.
There are reasons/explanations for this.
First, deleting an eForum post would also delete all the useful, associated conversation that occurred in response to the original message. We don’t want one person to have the power to remove entire conversations from the community.
Second, the tool simply doesn’t allow it.
Third, removing eForum posts runs counter to the idea of community learning. Think of eForum posts as what they really are: conversations. If a conversation is no longer relevant then bring it up to date, or change the conversation altogether. In the Online Community, just as in life, we cannot erase past conversations merely because the information put forward when those conversations occurred becomes less relevant, or even accurate. Instead, we bring that information up to date in evolved discourse… or we start a new discussion. This is where “editing” your posts comes in handy.
From ‘My Messages’ you can choose to ‘Edit’ your post. This allows you to edit the message you posted and resend it to the eForum… but it will do so as a new post in the discussion thread, not as a replacement of your initial post.
In a nut shell, what’s been said has been said. You can bring the conversation up to date. You can let it die. And you can start a new conversation. But you can’t erase the past.