# All users are visible in @mentions autocomplete list
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [July 6, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147 "2022-07-06T21:03:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MattDz3](https://meta.discourse.org/u/MattDz3)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147/1 "2022-07-06T21:03:47Z")
Hello,
I am using Discourse with specific groups assigned to categories to limit their access, we don’t want one group communicating with another. This solution is working except for the @mention autocomplete list. All users are showing up in the autocomplete list even when all the visibility settings are set to only group owners and mods, and posting settings are set to nobody across all groups.
The exception is all the `Trust_Level` groups. I am unable to change the ` Who can see this group's members?` setting from `Everyone`. Anytime I set it to `Nobody` it changes back to `Everyone` when I nav away then back.
Is this a bug or am I missing a setting preventing the autocomplete list from populating with all users?
Thanks!
Matt
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2022, 11:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147/2 "2022-07-06T23:34:34Z")
This comes up from time to time. There isn’t a means to hide groups of users from other users, just their group membership.
If you don’t want users to know that other users exist then you need to disable access to user profiles. I don’t think that there’s an easy way to do that.
There is this site setting `allow users to hide profile`, but that just allows users to hide themselves. I think you need a plugin to enable it for every user.
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2022, 8:58am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147/3 "2022-07-07T08:58:37Z")
If there is nothing common between groups would separete forums be somekind solution?
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2022, 10:15am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147/4 "2022-07-07T10:15:42Z")
There is this site setting `enable user directory`. I don’t think that also hides usernames.
If you want users not to see each other at all then you need to create separate communities. You might check out [Multisite configuration with Docker](https://meta.discourse.org/t/multisite-configuration-with-docker/14084)
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2022, 10:48am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147/5 "2022-07-07T10:48:12Z")
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> There is this site setting `enable user directory`. I don’t think that also hides usernames.
No it doesn’t. That’s why separate forums, or as you call them, communities would be the only solution. If seeing usernames is that big issue.
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### Author:  [@MattDz3](https://meta.discourse.org/u/MattDz3)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2022, 12:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147/6 "2022-07-07T12:21:12Z")
I have tried disabling the `user directory` and also tried to hide the `user profiles` with no success. I can try to pitch the idea of forums/communities but, I did inherit a custom plugin from a previous employee that was apparently working at some point but is no longer. I’ve struggled to understand why it’s not working. Thank you for all the help.
[Plugin](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72818931/discourse-plugin-to-restrict-users-from-mentioning-each-other-is-failing)
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2022, 9:38am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/all-users-are-visible-in-mentions-autocomplete-list/232147/7 "2022-07-12T09:38:51Z")
> [@MattDz3](#):
>
> , I did inherit a custom plugin from a previous employee that was apparently working at some point but is no longer. I’ve struggled to understand why it’s not working. Thank you for all the help.
Then you can ask in #Development or #Marketplace