# Hidden or staff only posts for collaborative moderation
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [April 1, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063 "2015-04-01T14:49:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@john\_mardlin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/john_mardlin)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/1 "2015-04-01T14:49:30Z")
There are times when we need to be very careful about how we respond to a topic. I want to make sure that staff realize that a topic has no response yet for a reason.
It would also be great to be able to have some internal discussion about a topic, either within the post itself, or better to have a hidden post in the thread which links to a discussion in the Staff area.
I tried flagging a post for “reason = 'something else”, but felt the flag was a fairly subtle notification and it felt like a work around.
Am I missing a better option?
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/2 "2015-04-01T14:52:04Z")
We created a private category that is viewable to staff only and use Reply as linked Topic on posts we want to discuss and we create that new topic in the private category.
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### Author:  [@john\_mardlin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/john_mardlin)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/3 "2015-04-01T15:03:49Z")
Thanks; and
1. the `linked topic` link is hidden if linked to in another topic and
2. it’s obvious enough that staff don’t miss it?
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### Author:  [@TechnoBear](https://meta.discourse.org/u/TechnoBear)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/4 "2015-04-01T15:06:29Z")
> [@john\_mardlin](#):
>
> the linked topic link is hidden if linked to in another topic and
If the linked topic link goes to a private category, then only those with access to the category will see the link.
[quote=“john\_mardlin, post:3, topic:27063”]
it’s obvious enough that staff don’t miss it?
[/quote]It is on our site, IMHO, but we have some custom styling in place. Can’t vouch for vanilla Discourse.
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2015, 3:14pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/5 "2015-04-01T15:14:04Z")
> [@john\_mardlin](#):
>
> it’s obvious enough that staff don’t miss it?
Call it trial and error. Worst case you have the staff go into their preferences and watch that private category so they get notified of new topics in it. Secondly, the topics appear in the Latest list, and lastly, you can find it associated with the post. So it gives you more ways of being aware of the discussion than simply the post (and flags – that may get deferred/removed by another staff member)
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### Author:  [@john\_mardlin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/john_mardlin)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/9 "2015-04-01T15:24:28Z")
> [@cpradio](#):
>
> Looks to be because you have “Announcements” in the category filter (actually on second look… maybe you don’t)
No. There’s no ability to enter text or scroll further, just a static list in a selector field. If not a bug, it seems like an unhelpful limitation.
But not the end of the world. I noticed that if I just link to a topic from a new topic, it’ll automatically recognize and put the link on the original topic.
And the link is hidden to non-staff accounts, so with some custom styling to highlight the link, I should be good.
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/11 "2015-04-01T21:24:32Z")
I moved 2 posts to a new topic: [Category selector is restricted on “reply as linked topic” when “show subcategory list” is enabled](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-selector-is-restricted-on-reply-as-linked-topic-when-show-subcategory-list-is-enabled/27078)
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/12 "2015-04-02T01:44:52Z")
There have been a few topics about the “whisper” feature, search for that if you are curious, but I still find it a bit odd.
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### Author:  [@chapoi](https://meta.discourse.org/u/chapoi)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2025, 11:35am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hidden-or-staff-only-posts-for-collaborative-moderation/27063/13 "2025-12-04T11:35:49Z")