This member limits who may view their full profile.

[Wando64]

What is the point of this functionality?
What do they have to hide?
If you are nothing but proud of what you have contributed to this forum, why contributing at all?

 

[hch720]

I did not even know that was an option

 

[maflynn]

What is the point of this functionality?

Privacy

What do they have to hide?

Their details

If you are nothing but proud of what you have contributed to this forum

What evidence is there that they are not proud of their contributions.

why contributing at all?

I can post all that I want, that doesn't translate into letting people see my profile.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

What is the point of this functionality?

Privacy.

As valuable - and to be cherished - in the online world as in real life.

People get to set their own boundaries.

What do they have to hide?

Their details, if they choose not to - or, would prefer not to - have these viewed by others.

If you are nothing but proud of what you have contributed to this forum,

Choosing privacy, or options that allow for privacy, in no way suggests that you are not proud of your contributions to the forum. The two are not mutually exclusive.

why contributing at all?

There is no contradiction between setting your own boundaries (if the option exists and is available) and choosing to participate, and participate actively as a member of the forum.

 

[Banglazed]

Privacy and prevent others from snooping on what they are viewing or their posts. Keep other guessing on what their next moves

 

[fwmireault]

It's a nice anti-troll feature. I used to have a public profile, but from time to time you run into a troll who wants to dislike or reply on all your comments just because they didn't like something I posted, or find a comment from 4 years ago to prove a point, etc. It's the main reason why my profile is private.

 

[I7guy]

It's a nice anti-troll feature. I used to have a public profile, but from time to time you run into a troll who wants to dislike or reply on all your comments just because they didn't like something I posted, or find a comment from 4 years ago to prove a point, etc. It's the main reason why my profile is private.

It’s easy to get the post history of a member without going to their profile.

Click on the members name and then click on messages. Messages is a clickable link.

 

[fwmireault]

It’s easy to get the post history of a member without going to their profile.

Click on the members name and then click on messages. Messages is a clickable link.

Oh didn’t know that! Oh well!

 

[beach bum]

It’s easy to get the post history of a member without going to their profile.

Click on the members name and then click on messages. Messages is a clickable link.

Wow! I learn something new every day. It seems as the Media is also a clickable link.

 

[icanhazmac]

It’s easy to get the post history of a member without going to their profile.

Click on the members name and then click on messages. Messages is a clickable link.

Yup, you can also just click the mag glass and search by member:

I guess I see the point of those that have been stalked by losers down voting or laughing at you face, I've been there too.

 

[Wando64]

It’s easy to get the post history of a member without going to their profile.

Click on the members name and then click on messages. Messages is a clickable link.

This is hilarious.
It goes to show how useless this functionality really is.

 

[Wando64]

Privacy

Their details

What evidence is there that they are not proud of their contributions.


I can post all that I want, that doesn't translate into letting people see my profile

What privacy are you expecting when all of your posts are public on a forum?

Which details do you want to protect when you are under no obligation to enter any?

The evidence that they are not proud of their contributions is in the fact that they are trying to hide them (unsuccessfully it must be said)

To make a valuable contribution to the forum but then seeking to hide it is odd to say the least.

 

[Wando64]

I guess I see the point of those that have been stalked by losers down voting or laughing at you face, I've been there too.

Luckily I never had anyone doing this to me persistently, but I can see how it would be annoying.
On the other side, when people are ignored they quickly lose interest, and actual demonstrable trolling can be reported and it is usually taken care of by the mods.

In any case if this was the purpose it has failed as, like you say, it is easy to search for, and find, any user’s postings.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

There is quite a significant difference between being able to see someone's posts (or an individual's postings) - which, obviously, are public, once you have pressed "post reply", for that is the whole point of posting something - and whom you permit to be able to see, or view, your profile, which you can choose to limit access to, as per the settings of the site.

The question asked in the OP is about members who choose to limit who can view their profile.

And to choose to limit who can view your profle, (for people get to set their own boundaries) does not, in any way, contradict the fact that whatever you choose to post can be viewed publicly.

Almost all of us here have chosen to post under a name, a nom de plume, which is not the name by which we are known in the real world.

That is a form of privacy.

Limiting who can view your profile allows you to set boundaries, not just in terms of what you have written about yourself for public consumption, (and remember, any platform where access is free means that you - the member of the forum - are the product, whose data may be of interest to advertisers), but, also, to set limits, in terms, of who can "follow" you (if such a thing is of interest to you), or, even more pertinently, it allows you to set boundaries on who can contact you privately, by DM, (other than the staff, who - again, for obvious reasons - must be always able to contact you).

 

[Apple_Robert]

What is the point of this functionality?
What do they have to hide?
If you are nothing but proud of what you have contributed to this forum, why contributing at all?

I have my profile set in that manner.

1) It prevents spammers from contacting me
2) It prevents people who are not members from contacting me
3) It helps make it harder for people to stalk and harass
4) The feature gives me the ability to set boundaries (as ScepticalScribe mentioned) as to who can engage in a conversation with me. Just because I make posts on this public forum, that doesn't mean I don't have any right to any privacy.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have my profile set in that manner.

1) It prevents spammers from contacting me
2) It prevents people who are not members from contacting me
3) It helps make it harder for people to stalk and harass
4) The feature gives me the ability to set boundaries (as ScepticalScribe mentioned) as to who can engage in a conversation with me.

Exactly.

Just because I make posts on this public forum, that doesn't mean I don't have any right to any privacy.

Well said.

Just because you, (or I, or anyone) makes posts on this forum doesn't mean that you don't have any right to any privacy, but, neither does it mean that you have waived your right to any privacy on the site.

 

[rm5]

Why is that feature "useless" to you? Someone can contribute to a community without you knowing every single bit of info about them.

I've only been spam-DM'd once, and I'm fine with people DMing to have a meaningful discussion. I'm also fine with people getting to know me by looking at my profile.

So... there you go. It's an individual preference, and the feature is not useless!!!

 

[Wando64]

Why is that feature "useless" to you? Someone can contribute to a community without you knowing every single bit of info about them.

I've only been spam-DM'd once, and I'm fine with people DMing to have a meaningful discussion. I'm also fine with people getting to know me by looking at my profile.

So... there you go. It's an individual preference, and the feature it is not useless!!!

All of the information I can see from your profile is in the About section.
At some point you have chosen to enter this information about you, but this is by no means mandatory.
Many people have not shared any of that info and thus are retaining a high degree of “privacy“ without the need to block the entire page.

 

[Wando64]

I have my profile set in that manner.

1) It prevents spammers from contacting me
2) It prevents people who are not members from contacting me
3) It helps make it harder for people to stalk and harass
4) The feature gives me the ability to set boundaries (as ScepticalScribe mentioned) as to who can engage in a conversation with me. Just because I make posts on this public forum, that doesn't mean I don't have any right to any privacy.

You have this function activated, yet as far as I can see I am still able to start a direct conversation with you and or Follow you. I have not tried to do so out of respect of your desire for privacy, but the functions are there for anyone to use.

I am becoming more and more confused. The more I look at this and the more I become convinced that people thinks it does a lot of things, but it actually does none.

 

[Wando64]

There is quite a significant difference between being able to see someone's posts (or an individual's postings) - which, obviously, are public, once you have pressed "post reply", for that is the whole point of posting something - and whom you permit to be able to see, or view, your profile, which you can choose to limit access to, as per the settings of the site.

The question asked in the OP is about members who choose to limit who can view their profile.

And to choose to limit who can view your profle, (for people get to set their own boundaries) does not, in any way, contradict the fact that whatever you choose to post can be viewed publicly.

Almost all of us here have chosen to post under a name, a nom de plume, which is not the name by which we are known in the real world.

That is a form of privacy.

Limiting who can view your profile allows you to set boundaries, not just in terms of what you have written about yourself for public consumption, (and remember, any platform where access is free means that you - the member of the forum - are the product, whose data may be of interest to advertisers), but, also, to set limits, in terms, of who can "follow" you (if such a thing is of interest to you), or, even more pertinently, it allows you to set boundaries on who can contact you privately, by DM, (other than the staff, who - again, for obvious reasons - must be always able to contact you).

The functions to DM and Follow people are still there as far as I can see.

 

[maflynn]

What privacy are you expecting when all of your posts are public on a forum?

@Scepticalscribe said it better. Setting boundaries. I have th option to limit people looking at my profile, and so I do. How hard is that to understand? I'm am largely proud of my content that I post here, though there are some posts that I wished I could take back, but I think that occurs with everyone. Anyways, I wish to limit what people can see my profile, its as simple as that.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The functions to DM and Follow people are still there as far as I can see.

In my case?

Yes, of course they are, because I haven't actually - as yet - set boundaries on them. That doesn't mean that this will always be the case, or that I will always choose to leave the settings (boundaries) as they are at present.


However, I welcome - fervently, passionately, and whole-heartedly welcome, approve and applaud the fact that I can set such boundaries should I choose, or wish, to do so at some stage in the future.

One of those boundaries - for the record - allows you to 'block' someone; that means that the individual blocked cannot see your posts, and - most certainly - cannot DM you.

As @rm5 says, - and I agree completely with him - "Someone can contribute to a community without you knowing every single bit of info about them."

Besides, it is not "useless", because it allows you - or one, or the individual in question - to set boundaries; thus, this gives the individual the right - the autonomy - to determine just what they are comfortable with others being able to see.

Therefore, depending on circumstances, or mood, or personal choice, or personal preferences, one can change what one wishes others to be able to view, or see, and yes, one can still make posts.

The more I look at this and the more I become convinced that people thinks it does a lot of things, but it actually does none.

It can do a lot of things should people wish to enable those functions; this is a matter of personal choice and preference on the part of the individual member who gets to choose where to set their own boundaries.

Thus, they may enable these specific functions, they may enable some of them, they may choose not to do so.

You get to set your own boundaries.

 

[Wando64]

In my case?

It can do a lot of things should people wish to enable those functions;

No, of course not in your case.
I am referring to the people that have "blocked" their profile.
Try for yourself and you'll see.

As for the "functions" frankly I don't know what you are talking about.
The options (unless I am missing something) are to block you profile or not to block your profile.
If you chose to block your profile all you achieve is that people will not be able to see the information in your 'About' page. Keep in mind that that information is not mandatory anyway. For example I don't have anything in my about page.
As for Postings and Media, these will remain visible by clicking on the number of messages and media.
Likewise DMs and Following still remain active.

EDIT: I have just found out that DM can indeed be stopped with a separate setting. Fair enough.

 

[Wando64]

@Scepticalscribe said it better. Setting boundaries. I have th option to limit people looking at my profile, and so I do. How hard is that to understand? I'm am largely proud of my content that I post here, though there are some posts that I wished I could take back, but I think that occurs with everyone. Anyways, I wish to limit what people can see my profile, its as simple as that.

I understand that, and we risk arguing in a circular way, but frankly I can still see your postings by clicking on the number underneath the Messages heading (yes it is clickable). In the same way I can see your Media. I can send you DMs and I can follow you.

Is that what you wanted to achieve when you decided to make your profile private?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I understand that, and we risk arguing in a circular way, but frankly I can still see your postings by clicking on the number underneath the Messages heading (yes it is clickable). In the same way I can see your Media. I can send you DMs and I can follow you.

Is that what you wanted to achieve when you decided to make your profile private?

For example, re DMs ("start conversations with you"), under the 'privacy' setting on your own profile, you can choose to set it to "members only", or "people you follow" or "nobody".

I would imagine that most people on this forum have it set to "members only"; however, you can choose to set it to a more restricted setting, should you so wish.