Internet guestbooks

A question:
If you post a message on an internet guestbook(not using real name), has the webmaster (what ever you call them) the right to research your ip address and find out who you are?
Also if the webmaster knows the id of person who posted message, is he/she within their rights to reply to posted message using the posters name??

Note, the message posted was not in any way derogatory/insulting, just general.

I find it a huge invasion of privacy.

Clubman can answer that I'm sure.He's the site moderator here.

Most guestbooks let the admin see the IP of the poster. This can be informative or not. If youre working for a company and you post from work, the IP may let the admin know the company you work for, thats about it. If youre posting from home, the IP will only let the admin see the ISP (BT, eircom, ntl etc) youre connected from.
When you say reply from, the admin normally has editing privileges to edit a post but usually not to post as a user. Then again, it depends on the chat site, guest book or forum as to what it lets it admins do.

car said:

the IP will only let the admin see the ISP (BT, eircom, ntl etc) youre connected from.

Click to expand...

Or company/university/organisation etc. if connecting through a dedicated connection.