Keeping names private on a private blog
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Hello,
I’m trying to set up a private blog with a few members. Their display name within the blog should be their real name.
I plan to invite them by setting up accounts for each of them myself, using their real name as username, and a common password. I then plan to tell them they can change their username and password, in order to make their account access private. Obviously, they should make sure their display name remains their real name.
My understanding is one’s username and display name are public, even if they are used to access a private blog : the “My public profile” page states “Information entered below will be displayed publicly on your profile and Gravatar hovercards”.
This is not acceptable. I don’t want the general public to be able to read my blog members real names on the Internet, even if they cannot access the blog contents. Some blog members might object to that for privacy reasons.
Do I understand correctly that to WordPress.com, your username, display name and the link between the two are always public information, even on a private blog ? It would seem to partially defeat the whole point of a private blog.
Is there a workaround to achieve what I want ? Thanks in advance.
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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Hi. I think what you are trying to do is not possible on WordPress.COM because to my knowledge, it’s not possible to completely hide the existence of a username. Perhaps you may consider a self-hosted WordPress.ORG blog instead?
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My understanding is one’s username and display name are public, even if they are used to access a private blog
It’s true that your username will display here in the forum. But it’s also true that you do not need to post to this forum to get support. You can use the HELP link to contact Staff and get direct support from them. The HELP link is on the top right hand corner of your Admin page.
the “My public profile” page states “Information entered below will be displayed publicly on your profile and Gravatar hovercards”.
No one is compelled to register a gravatar. if you do not register one and you provide no information on your profile page then what hovercard data will there be to display?
Perhaps you may wish to contact Staff. If so, then here’s the link. > http://en.support.wordpress.com/contact/
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Thank you, Airodyssey and Timethief.
Actually, this is a quick-and-dirty project, and it would not justify the hassle or expense to self-host. Maybe I’ll drop a line to the support team.
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By the way, a gravatar seems to be created by default for you. You’d need to change the default symbol into your personalised image, but (to my understanding at least) everybody has one.
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That’s not my understanding. If one does not upload an image and does not provide any information on their profile page it’s my understanding that there will be no image or other data that can be displayed. However, as you are contacting Staff you ccan clear that up with them, and if your are so inclined you could return to this thread and let us know what Staff says, so we have deginitive answer the next time this question is asked. Would you like to do that please?
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Using real names is asking for trouble in my unsolicited opinion. You will do your users a favour if you allow them to choose user AND display names that have nothing whatsoever to do with their real names.
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The only parts of your profile that are public by default are the username and display name.
The only way for one to see your display name, unless you post in a public place, is if they already know your username.
Furthermore, there is no connection between your username or display name and your comments.
Also, as long as the comments will only be posted on a private blog, only those WordPress.com users with access to that blog will be able to know that they even exist.
Read more about your profile here:
http://en.support.wordpress.com/user-profile/ -
Ranh said : “The only parts of your profile that are public by default are the username and display name.”
And the “My public profile” page says : “Information entered below will be displayed publicly on your profile and in Gravatar Hovercards.”
However, there seems to be a function to make one’s profile private. I’ve activated it, and my Gravatar page now says :”Your profile is currently hidden, so no one can access it. If you’d like to edit it, you’ll need to un-hide it first.”
So, apparently, on top of the “natural” privacy protections listed by Ranh in his comment, there is a positive feature that makes one’s profile private no matter what, right ?
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