new and improved profile privacy options

**Moo** · 10-03-2008

Many of you already know about the profile privacy option in the UserCP.
To cut a long story short, this option allows you to control who can view your profile.
The existing options were :
Public - anyone (including guests and search engines) can see it
Private - only registered members who are logged in can see it
Friends - only people on your buddy list can see it

This, frankly, is not an ideal system. So, I gave it a bit of an overhaul and replaced it with this :
* Public (anyone, including guests and search engines)
* Registered+ (only logged-in users)
* Regulars+ (only regulars, VIPs, and people on your buddy list)
** VIPs+ (only VIPs, and people on your buddy list)
** Buddies (only people on your buddy list)

Moderators, of course, are not affected by profile privacy, they can see even profiles set to "buddies only" without being on that person's buddy list. This is a necessary step to prevent bad people using the profile privacy tools to try to sneak onto the site under the mods' radar.

In order to use the options for "VIPs+" and "Buddies only", you have to have regular or VIP status on the forums. The reason for this is that, IMHO, I think it would be a bad thing if we started getting lots of newbies whose profiles were set to buddies or VIP+ only. It isn't hard to post the 20 posts required for regular status.

Martin · 10-03-2008

Way to go Moo.

Thanks for being able to do this, as this makes it easier for people to get the right balance between privacy and being open.

Koko · 10-03-2008

This is very nice...it lets the newbies who are concerned about search engines and lurkers from seeing them, and lets Vips and regulars protect themselves from newbies.

mm3 · 10-03-2008

Quote:

Thanks for being able to do this, as this makes it easier for people to get the right balance between privacy and being open.

+1

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Koko · 10-03-2008

*pounces teh kyute huskies in mm3's post an snuggles em lots* ^.^

mm3 · 10-03-2008

hehe, I've been getting that a lot lately ^_^

Koko · 10-03-2008

Its cause theys soooooooo kyute.
:3

Lukie · 10-03-2008

Sweet as, thanks Moo!

Abby_Cullen · 10-03-2008

Thank-you, Moo! This is better, and the new options added give more variety!

**Moo** · 12-03-2008

I've added a new but related option that covers your instant messenger details (under your avatar in posts, as well as on your profile page). You have all the same options with it as you do with profile restriction... however, it only covers IM details, and not the rest of your profile.

That should provide you all much better privacy for your personal contact details, and lessen the need to restrict your entire profile. One of the major benefits is that you can now allow anyone on the site to PM you on the forum (using ignore to block them if they annoy you), but still keep your instant messenger details restricted to people you know and trust.

10-03-2008	#1 (permalink)
Moo Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York Posts: 858 Threads: 84 Wiki Edits: 55	new and improved profile privacy options Many of you already know about the profile privacy option in the UserCP. To cut a long story short, this option allows you to control who can view your profile. The existing options were : Public - anyone (including guests and search engines) can see it Private - only registered members who are logged in can see it Friends - only people on your buddy list can see it This, frankly, is not an ideal system. So, I gave it a bit of an overhaul and replaced it with this : * Public (anyone, including guests and search engines) * Registered+ (only logged-in users) * Regulars+ (only regulars, VIPs, and people on your buddy list) VIPs+ (only VIPs, and people on your buddy list) Buddies (only people on your buddy list) Moderators, of course, are not affected by profile privacy, they can see even profiles set to "buddies only" without being on that person's buddy list. This is a necessary step to prevent bad people using the profile privacy tools to try to sneak onto the site under the mods' radar. In order to use the options for "VIPs+" and "Buddies only", you have to have regular or VIP status on the forums. The reason for this is that, IMHO, I think it would be a bad thing if we started getting lots of newbies whose profiles were set to buddies or VIP+ only. It isn't hard to post the 20 posts required for regular status.

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10-03-2008	#2 (permalink)
Martin What's up doc? Historical Donor Staff Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: The Netherlands Age: 17 Posts: 2,201 Threads: 40 Gallery Uploads: 127 Wiki Edits: 93 Blog Entries: 28	Way to go Moo. Thanks for being able to do this, as this makes it easier for people to get the right balance between privacy and being open.

10-03-2008	#3 (permalink)
Koko VIP Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: . Posts: 120 Threads: 3	This is very nice...it lets the newbies who are concerned about search engines and lurkers from seeing them, and lets Vips and regulars protect themselves from newbies.

10-03-2008	#5 (permalink)
Koko VIP Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: . Posts: 120 Threads: 3	pounces teh kyute huskies in mm3's post an snuggles em lots ^.^

10-03-2008	#6 (permalink)
mm3 Metal Militia Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York Age: 17 Posts: 1,012 Threads: 62 Gallery Uploads: 3 Wiki Edits: 3	hehe, I've been getting that a lot lately ^_^

10-03-2008	#7 (permalink)
Koko VIP Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: . Posts: 120 Threads: 3	Its cause theys soooooooo kyute. :3

10-03-2008	#8 (permalink)
Lukie Aysc.qm Historical Donor Staff Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Age: 19 Posts: 2,318 Threads: 30 Gallery Uploads: 7 Wiki Edits: 154 Blog Entries: 39	Sweet as, thanks Moo!

10-03-2008	#9 (permalink)
Abby_Cullen Will you be my lion? Historical Donor Staff Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Forks, Washington. Age: 18 Posts: 2,351 Threads: 94 Gallery Uploads: 37 Blog Entries: 11	Thank-you, Moo! This is better, and the new options added give more variety!

12-03-2008	#10 (permalink)
Moo Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York Posts: 858 Threads: 84 Wiki Edits: 55	I've added a new but related option that covers your instant messenger details (under your avatar in posts, as well as on your profile page). You have all the same options with it as you do with profile restriction... however, it only covers IM details, and not the rest of your profile. That should provide you all much better privacy for your personal contact details, and lessen the need to restrict your entire profile. One of the major benefits is that you can now allow anyone on the site to PM you on the forum (using ignore to block them if they annoy you), but still keep your instant messenger details restricted to people you know and trust.