# Private Profiles and Advanced Search
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-profiles-and-advanced-search/167069
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [October 13, 2020, 10:39am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-profiles-and-advanced-search/167069 "2020-10-13T10:39:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@nildarar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/nildarar)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 10:39am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-profiles-and-advanced-search/167069/1 "2020-10-13T10:39:36Z")
In my opinion, the system should not allow the advanced search to filter users who hide their public profile. Because in this way you can easily list the topics and posts of these users.
What do you think?
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### Author:  [@diakopter](https://meta.discourse.org/u/diakopter)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2021, 10:46pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-profiles-and-advanced-search/167069/2 "2021-08-08T22:46:07Z")
I second this request. How can we restrict visibility of profiles to the public… and actually, restrict searching messages (and enumerating usernames) to users who are members of a particular group?
Thank you
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### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2021, 1:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-profiles-and-advanced-search/167069/3 "2021-08-09T13:23:49Z")
The only difficulty I can see if a user has posted that has hidden there profile. Searching by user name makes sense to be available as they have publically posted. That being said if the user whom has hidden there profile and has not posted publically shouldn’t show in an Auto complete.
Hiding one’s profile only makes there profile invisible but can see it being useful to hide in advance search if hasn’t posted in publically visibke categories.
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### Author:  [@diakopter](https://meta.discourse.org/u/diakopter)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2021, 1:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-profiles-and-advanced-search/167069/4 "2021-08-09T13:25:04Z")
Yes. I’m referring to users who have not publicly posted, as this is a forum with only categories with restricted permissions using the official Subscription plugin.
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### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2021, 1:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-profiles-and-advanced-search/167069/5 "2021-08-09T13:27:54Z")
You may need to see about commissioning a plugin to get this working sooner if considered a priority need in #Marketplace