# Read-only categories

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [April 1, 2023, 7:23am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194 "2023-04-01T07:23:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![sterretje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@sterretje](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sterretje)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2023, 7:23am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194/1 "2023-04-01T07:23:42Z")

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Good morning (or whatever part of the day it is at your side of the world)

I have the below structure; for clarity, `**` indicates what should be read-only

```plaintext
**Category A
    Category A1
    Category A2
    Category A3
    Category A4

**Category B
    **Category B1
        Category B11
        Category B12
    Category B2
    Category B3
    **Category B4
        Category B41
        Category B42

**Category C
    **Category C1
        Category C11

**Category D
    Category D1
    Category D2
    Category D3
    Category D4

```

I’m trying to prevent users from posting in certain categories; e.g. the main categories. I’ve set the below for one of the main categories but I can still post a new topic in it.

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/6/7/6/6766f6c80ca34265566ccfc6c5d42fe7d3f6a5ea.png)

1. Is this because I’m an admin? Or am I missing something?
2. Is _everyone_ a standard user or did I inherit it from the existing forum?

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### Author: ![RGJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/rgj/32/523185_2.png) [@RGJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/RGJ)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2023, 8:24am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194/2 "2023-04-01T08:24:45Z")

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> [@sterretje](#):
>
> Is this because I’m an admin?

Yes, it’s because you’re an admin.

> [@sterretje](#):
>
> Is _everyone_ a standard user or did I inherit it from the existing forum?

Not sure what you mean there.

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### Author: ![sterretje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@sterretje](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sterretje)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2023, 8:47am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194/3 "2023-04-01T08:47:17Z")

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> [@RGJ](#):
>
> Yes, it’s because you’re an admin.

Thanks :+1: I’m in the process of adding a normal user for testing purposes.

> [@RGJ](#):
>
> Not sure what you mean there.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. If you look at my screenshot, there is a group (not a user, sorry) called _everyone_. I would like to know if this group is a standard group, meaning that every discourse forum has this group, or if it’s specific to the forum that I’m working on.

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### Author: ![Stephen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/stephen/32/95011_2.png) [@Stephen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Stephen)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2023, 9:41am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194/4 "2023-04-01T09:41:40Z")

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> [@sterretje](#):
>
> I would like to know if this group is a standard group, meaning that every discourse forum has this group, or if it’s specific to the forum that I’m working on.

Yes, it’s built in. All Discourse deployments feature `everyone`.

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### Author: ![sterretje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@sterretje](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sterretje)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2023, 12:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194/5 "2023-04-01T12:41:21Z")

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Thanks @RGJ and @Stephen. Issue solved.

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### Author: ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/system/32/443519_2.png) [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2023, 12:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-categories/260194/6 "2023-05-01T12:41:59Z")

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