# Anonymous Topic / Reply possible?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [January 19, 2018, 7:39am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457 "2018-01-19T07:39:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sil3ntOne](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sil3ntOne)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2018, 7:39am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/1 "2018-01-19T07:39:33Z")
Hi,
Is it possible for a normal user to post a new topic or reply anonymously?
P.S. By anonymously I mean without any publicly visible reference to their name / account etc.
It would be ‘ok’ for a staff (mod/admin) to see who posted it but not the normal visitors or registered users.
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### Author:  [@mpalmer](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mpalmer)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2018, 9:03am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/2 "2018-01-19T09:03:04Z")
The trick here, first up, is defining what you mean by “post […] anonymously”. It’s a much more nuanced thing than you might first think, and there are a number of different things people mean by it.
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### Author:  [@Sil3ntOne](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sil3ntOne)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/3 "2018-01-22T20:37:40Z")
I see your point now Matt.
By anonymously I mean without any publicly visible reference to their name / account etc.
It would be ‘ok’ for a staff (mod/admin) to see who posted it but not the normal visitors or registered users.
It would also not list the posted topic/reply on the user’s profile.
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/4 "2018-01-22T21:03:01Z")
Yes, that is possible. Enable the `allow anonymous posting` site setting and users can switch to anonymous mode to post without associating it with their user account. Staff can’t quickly link an anonymous account to a user, but could if they wanted to dig into logs and the database. Normal users will not be able to connect the account to a “real” user.
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### Author:  [@HAWK](https://meta.discourse.org/u/HAWK)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/5 "2018-01-22T21:04:45Z")
> [@jomaxro](#):
>
> and users can switch to anonymous mode
It’s the spy icon.
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### Author:  [@riking](https://meta.discourse.org/u/riking)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/6 "2018-01-22T21:18:12Z")
> [@jomaxro](#):
>
> Staff can’t quickly link an anonymous account to a user, but could if they wanted to dig into logs and the database.
Actually, you can, but it’s logged as a “show email” action. Go to the single admin user page and it shows up where Google / other associated logins would be.
* * *
Edit: Of course, side channels (posting time, writing style) can be used, as you see on 4chan etc, but these are mitigated by only using a particular “anonymous account” for a max 24 hour period - once that cycles, the number increments again and you lose public linkage.
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/7 "2018-01-22T21:21:37Z")
> [@riking](#):
>
> Actually, you can
Good to know! I’ve never actually used anonymous mode before - just repeating what I’ve heard others say about it.
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### Author:  [@Sil3ntOne](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sil3ntOne)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2018, 4:50am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/8 "2018-01-23T04:50:26Z")
Awesome! Thanks Joshua, HAWK and Kane for the insightful information.
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### Author:  [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/9 "2020-04-18T16:25:58Z")
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2020, 4:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/anonymous-topic-reply-possible/78457/10 "2020-04-18T16:39:43Z")