# Setting for auto closing topic if OP is hidden
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [September 17, 2015, 11:08am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390 "2015-09-17T11:08:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@flameens](https://meta.discourse.org/u/flameens)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 11:08am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/1 "2015-09-17T11:08:42Z")
There have been requests in my community for a feature that temporarily auto closes a topic if the OP has been hidden via community flagging. The reasoning behind this is that if the OP is hidden, there is little sense in continuing the discussion anyway, and it would be a good way to stop potential flames before they even begin. Of course this could set to on or off according to the needs of a specific community. Mine is quite prone to flames lately, so that’s why we’re asking.
I know there’s a global setting for auto close, but it doesn’t work exactly the same way. Is this something you would consider adding in the future?
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### Author:  [@AmiAthena](https://meta.discourse.org/u/AmiAthena)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/2 "2015-09-17T13:39:57Z")
I can definitely see how this could keep an incident from turning into a full-blown Situation.
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/3 "2015-09-17T13:49:08Z")
If this is a setting I think it should be default on, if the OP is hidden conversation simply degenerates into “why was the op hidden” nothing good comes of that
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/4 "2015-09-17T20:38:54Z")
I am not against it but this has been exceedingly rare in practice. I like to design for what actually happens instead of what people imagine might happen.
Also kinda sucks if there are replies, they get deep sixed as well. In fact, I thought we already did this when there are no replies… can you check @eviltrout?
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### Author:  [@eviltrout](https://meta.discourse.org/u/eviltrout)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 9:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/5 "2015-09-17T21:01:27Z")
Confirmed, I created a topic with no replies and flagged the OP to oblivion. It became unlisted.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/6 "2015-09-17T21:15:24Z")
Thanks, so this already works as designed. **We already auto unlist the topic if the only post is the first post**.
Otherwise we’re throwing away other people’s posts, which I don’t like to do.
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### Author:  [@flameens](https://meta.discourse.org/u/flameens)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/7 "2015-09-17T21:33:25Z")
That’s a good thing as well! Does that happen when the OP is hidden? Or is there a different threshold?
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/8 "2015-09-17T21:39:03Z")
auto unlist happens as soon as the first post reaches flagging threshold and it is a single post.
Do you have an specific examples of the issue you are having that you can link us to.
I agree with @codinghorror that this is mega rare, before building anything here I think we should look through a few examples of where “auto closing” would have actually helped.
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### Author:  [@flameens](https://meta.discourse.org/u/flameens)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/9 "2015-09-17T21:56:06Z")
We have only just migrated to Discourse since 4 days, so this is a typical example of putting the cart before the horse 🙂 Auto unlist sounds like a good alternative, I’ll get back to you after some testing should we have any problems. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@chapoi](https://meta.discourse.org/u/chapoi)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2025, 11:37am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-for-auto-closing-topic-if-op-is-hidden/33390/10 "2025-12-04T11:37:00Z")