# Can users be denied old posts in a category?

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/can-users-be-denied-old-posts-in-a-category/313317
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [June 24, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/can-users-be-denied-old-posts-in-a-category/313317 "2024-06-24T01:18:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![kgreed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/kgreed/32/168602_2.png) [@kgreed](https://meta.discourse.org/u/kgreed)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/can-users-be-denied-old-posts-in-a-category/313317/1 "2024-06-24T01:18:23Z")

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In Whatsapp, when a new user joins a group they do not see any prior chat.  
I am wondering if it is possible to do this in Discourse Posts.

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### Author: ![Architect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/architect/32/520575_2.png) [@Architect](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Architect)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/can-users-be-denied-old-posts-in-a-category/313317/2 "2024-06-24T01:26:19Z")

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Generally no, although topics can be unlisted so new members won’t be able to see those.

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### Author: ![Jagster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/jagster/32/192154_2.png) [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2024, 6:54am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/can-users-be-denied-old-posts-in-a-category/313317/3 "2024-06-24T06:54:35Z")

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Or old ones without direct link.

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### Author: ![Architect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/architect/32/520575_2.png) [@Architect](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Architect)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2024, 7:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/can-users-be-denied-old-posts-in-a-category/313317/4 "2024-06-24T07:07:34Z")

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If a topic is unlisted can still be seen by anyone with a link, so if that is shared with new users they would still be able to read topic.

If topic is moved to a secured category that will limit who can access it, at one of the trust tiers or staff/mod level.

With individual posts those can be deleted but otherwise there isn’t a way to hide old posts from new users like with WhatsApp, but you could do a feature request for that.

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### Author: ![pfaffman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pfaffman/32/120154_2.png) [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2024, 1:14am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/can-users-be-denied-old-posts-in-a-category/313317/5 "2024-06-25T01:14:39Z")

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One of the advantages of Discourse is that it makes it possible for prior discussion to be available to be members of the community.

This is why to use discourse instead of email or whatsapp.