# Private users in Discourse

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-users-in-discourse/70878>\
**Category:** Feature\
**Created:** [September 27, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-users-in-discourse/70878 "2017-09-27T15:17:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 6

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**Author:** ![Earnie\_Baird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/earnie_baird/32/380079_2.png) [@Earnie\_Baird](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Earnie_Baird)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 6:50pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-users-in-discourse/70878/6 "2024-04-26T18:50:17Z")

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This is a much needed Trust + Safety feature. For any number of reasons, there are people who want to be part of a community (read messages, PM, etc.) but don’t want to be seen / found in the member directory.

As an admin, I’ve been asked by a user to hide them from the member directory and there’s no way to do it. Unfortunately even if I turn off the **enable user directory** setting, they still appear in the member list for chat channels.

A simple checkbox in preferences to opt out of being seen in the member directory and chat channel member list (except for by staff/admins) would be greatly appreciated.

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_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/private-users-in-discourse/70878)._