Another Basic feature suggestion for IPB: Profile Privacy Settings

[ameen]

Members currently don't have the ability to choose whether their profiles are viewable by all visitor, by only their friends, or by only members. I can't understand why this feature has not been included; it's so basic and essential.

[optrexnz]

yes I agree and I have several members who consider the lack of this feature as a breach of privacy

[majdi]

same here.

[ameen]

Any mod available to accomplish this?

[AndyF]

I like the idea :) , although bear in mind your option of 'visitor' will not work if the administrator has chosen to not allow guests to view member profiles (unless you suggest overriding that)

I would suggest the following options:

• Nobody (profile is private)
• Friends
• Members (basically just to allow the member to stop guests viewing it where the admin allows guest viewing profiles)
• Everyone
  

Obviously, staff groups (suggest global mods as well as administrators, possibly forum level moderators) should always be able to view the profile regardless of the members setting.

[Adriano Faria]

I'm planning a hook for this but the function in php file is PRIVATE, thus I can't hook... already asked for a change... waiting. :)

In the meantime, you can block for non friends: http://community.invisionpower.com/topic/308284-set-profile-settings-to-private/page__view__findpost__p__1937561

[Sinistra Sensei]

I like this idea as well. I had a vuest post on myprofile page I would like to restrict guests from posting but able to view profiles.

[Jυra]

1. Most information about you is posted on the forum, not the profile. If you give members the option to hide profiles, then logic would say that members will have the ability to block their own posts from guests and non-friends.
2. Forums generally don't have anything worth hiding hiding on profiles and that's assuming members add anything to their profile.
3. This is very niche.

If I were to join a forum, I'd want to see content without seeing a forum flooded with notices that I cannot view profiles or posts.

[ameen]

How can IPB get such basic things wrong? You must let users decide who can view their profile!

[TrixieTang]

No, it's a forum, not Myspace. Profiles are meant to make it easier to locate users' content on the board, they AREN'T meant as a way for users to post their whole autobiography. If this is added all it will do is give users a false belief that this feature is somehow protecting them and destroy the entire purpose of profiles.

[ameen]

In their profile they can add personal information, even if it's just one piece of information which they regard as 'private' or personal, that's enough and gives them the right to protect it from public view. They may not post such personal information on public posts like they do in their profile, so I don't think that argument holds much weight.

[lunchbox67]

Umm, they don't have to post anything personal in the first place. And they always have the choice NOT to join/use a forum.
This is a minor issue if an issue at all


Now Nexus ... there is something that needs to get done!!!! (w00t)

[ameen]

You can't just shove a flaw under the carpet just because you don't find it useful yourself. Of-course they don't 'have to' post anything personal, but the fact is that they CAN and they do have the right to do so - for example in the 'About Me' section. You can't deny members the right to privacy.

[majdi]

Umm, they don't have to post anything personal in the first place. And they always have the choice NOT to join/use a forum.

then why is it called a community in the first place, you are statement is the exact opposite of the forum spirit. people are meant to join!

[Biker.GA]

You can't deny members the right to privacy.

Of course not. However, the administrator can't be held responsible for the user's privacy when it's the user who's putting the information out there for everyone to read. It's rather unfair to the admin to expect them to make something private after the user has tossed the information out there to begin with. Far too many users expect "privacy" on a public site. What's wrong with THAT picture?

If users want to something to be private, perhaps they shouldn't post it on the Internet to begin with.

[ameen]

Of course not. However, the administrator can't be held responsible for the user's privacy when it's the user who's putting the information out there for everyone to read. It's rather unfair to the admin to expect them to make something private after the user has tossed the information out there to begin with. Far too many users expect "privacy" on a public site. What's wrong with THAT picture?

If users want to something to be private, perhaps they shouldn't post it on the Internet to begin with.

Have you not used a social network such as Facebook? That's the exact reason why they have several privacy settings available, so that members can decide for themselves the level of privacy they want depending on what kind of information they want to reveal and what they regard as personal. A forum is not Facebook but it certainly is a social network.

[Biker.GA]

Skiing will be a favorite pastime in Hades before I create a personal Facebook account. I don't trust ANY site to keep my information private, therefore, I do not put it out there unless I personally can totally control who can access it. In other words, if I'm not the server admin, it doesn't get put out there.

[ameen]

Well most people do trust websites such as Facebook, Myspace, forums, etc. So to most people, privacy settings would be important.

[Biker.GA]

And look where that trust has gotten then. Facebook has been eroding the privacy features on the site for years now. And for the most part, most users don't care. Whether it's because they don't understand, or they truly don't care remains to be seen. Privacy is a buzz word that very few individuals really stop to think about. They're more interested in letting the world know what they've been doing. And as long as they realize that's what they're doing, I don't have an issue with that. But claiming that privacy is paramount when putting information on the Internet is laughable.

[(e) Eric]

1. Most information about you is posted on the forum, not the profile. If you give members the option to hide profiles, then logic would say that members will have the ability to block their own posts from guests and non-friends.

2. Forums generally don't have anything worth hiding hiding on profiles and that's assuming members add anything to their profile.

3. This is very niche.

If I were to join a forum, I'd want to see content without seeing a forum flooded with notices that I cannot view profiles or posts.

No, it's a forum, not Myspace. Profiles are meant to make it easier to locate users' content on the board, they AREN'T meant as a way for users to post their whole autobiography. If this is added all it will do is give users a false belief that this feature is somehow protecting them and destroy the entire purpose of profiles.

I agree, I don't see a connection between privacy and a forum profile. This isn't Facebook. What is on your profile is already on the forum. Forums are to act as an open FORUM for discussion and conversation with strangers, and so hiding someone's profile seems kinda contrary to the very purpose of what a forum is to begin with.

But then again, social networks seem to be the way of the future (even though FB makes me want to puke), so I can see IPS or an IPB developer creating such a feature.

[rbiss]

I've been asking for this for quite some time. It's a glaring feature omission in my opinion.

[rbiss]

To do it right there should be three settings;

Public (everyone)
Members (no guests, banned or spam members)
Friends Only

All would be accessible by admins/mods

[lunchbox67]

If you think ANYTHING you put ANYWHERE on the net is private ... good luck.

[rbiss]

It's not about creating the internet's perfect security system. It's about demonstrating responsible basic principles of privacy and having members consent (or not) to public profile records.

[Biker.GA]

Considering the majority of what's in the profile is also displayed with each post, I fail to see how "privacy" affects the forum members, unless they add more information. If the user wants privacy, they shouldn't put the information out there to begin with. Pure and simple.