# New User Post Approval Option
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [February 1, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840 "2016-02-01T16:56:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@hb\_ryn](https://meta.discourse.org/u/hb_ryn)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840/1 "2016-02-01T16:56:23Z")
I’ve recently fiddled with the approval option on our forums and noticed quite a peculiar problem with the approval system in general. My idea for post approvals revolved around making the default trust level 1 instead of 0, then using trust level 0 as a manually set trust level to control what “problem users” post. Essentially an alternative to bans because banning honestly doesn’t fix the situation at all.
What I found when using the setting was that the “approve post count” setting isn’t what the description claims (“The amount of posts from a new user that must be approved”). Rather it’s checking all users’ post counts and anyone without the set amount must now be approved, regardless of trust level (have not checked with staff, but I did already see a topic that claims to have fixed it for staff).
I’d just like the option to do what it claims and that’s it. Rather if not, I’d just like an option that makes it so that it isn’t a matter of post made or approved that controls the flood gates, but rather just closing off the new user (trust level 0) specifically to require all posts to be approved considering that it doesn’t take long to be promoted to trust level 1 anyway.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840/2 "2016-02-02T02:40:29Z")
Fair point @eviltrout would need to make that change if he feels it is warranted.
However. Default TL1 is going to leave you wide open to spammers. It will be very risky unless you have a private site.
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### Author:  [@eviltrout](https://meta.discourse.org/u/eviltrout)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840/3 "2016-03-02T18:21:53Z")
I think this is a solid suggestion. I’ve fixed it so that the `approve post count` only applies to TL0 as specified in the help text.
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/94f5aa6015221baabd0f0461053d6de000bf4c1b](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/94f5aa6015221baabd0f0461053d6de000bf4c1b)
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### Author:  [@eviltrout](https://meta.discourse.org/u/eviltrout)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840/4 "2016-03-02T18:22:01Z")
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840/5 "2016-03-02T19:40:01Z")
Hmm I worry about users who quickly get to tl1 – none of their new posts will need approval! Perhaps limit to anything under tl2?
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### Author:  [@eviltrout](https://meta.discourse.org/u/eviltrout)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/new-user-post-approval-option/38840/6 "2016-03-02T19:54:55Z")
Okay I adjusted it so it’s TL0 + TL1 now. I’ve also updated the translation text so it doesn’t just say new user anymore.
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/be257225b649010e1ecf93168ef92e510251b419](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/be257225b649010e1ecf93168ef92e510251b419)