So, assuming E-I isn't big enough to warrant some kind of CDN and that there's a crusty old server jammed in a rack in some datacenter somewhere, where is that located? I'm just thinking out loud that with the new law in N. Ireland, if it was in a data center in the UK (or even within Europe if/until Brexit happens) could it be subject to a search warrant? Is there any part of the company based in the UK for that matter that may have client data?

It would all be circumstantial data, but knowing myself how forums log IP addresses of everything, say plod had nothing better to do and convinced a judge to nab the server, between email address and IP addresses there could be a link to an individual, and say if that individual had been sending incriminating PMs to an escort it could be enough to have you hauled infront of a judge. We all know that it wouldn't be real hard evidence that anything actually happened, but given the stigma around paying for sex it would be difficult to convince a jury that a PMs/reviews aren't a smoking gun.

I tried to put the IP into a geolocator but it just comes up the ddos protection company in New York so I'm none the wiser.

If it is within Europe, and say similar laws came into force in the Republic, would the admins ever consider disabling IP logging on the forum?

FB.