My only concern is one of confusion, having selected an option to supposedly 'hide' your email address there is it right in your face.
When I found the email icon in the displayed information, I went looking in the profile settings to see if somehow the new forum update had screwed up my settings. So when I saw the Hide option still ticked I was confused as to what was going on. So I feel I will not be the only one that was confused by this, new members who choose to hide their email only to see it in their face, what are they going to think ?
As you said, the code is outside your control, so what I want is also outside your control, if someone chooses to hide their email address 'don't display an icon in the profile information in forum posts'
To the users of the forum (to me certainly), posts look to all intents displayed on a public place and who wants to send themselves an email