Anonymous User Permissions

Social Squared allows users to anonymously create new topics or replies within a specific forum. There are two scenarios where an organization may wish their users to use Social Squared anonymously:

• Authenticated Users. Users have authenticated, say using their Active Directory user ids, and the organization wants to get honest feedback from employees. The feedback may be deemed better if employees can leave the comments completely anonymously.
• Anonymous Users. When an organization provides a public facing web site then it is unlikely that everyone that visits the site will be authenticated. Social Squared allows anonymous visitors to post anonymous topics or replies to forums that are configured for this.
  

To allow users to post anonymously or to allow anonymous users to post on a per forum basis use the Edit Forum page using the following steps:

1. Click Site Actions, and then click Site Settings.
2. On the Site Settings page, under Social Squared Forum, click Forum Groups.
3. On the Forum Groups page, to the right of the forum group which contains your forum, click View Forums to display the Forums [ forum group name ] page.
4. For the forum you wish to configure permissions, click Edit. The Edit forum group page is displayed.
5. Scroll down the page until the Anonymous Users section is displayed.
   

The Anonymous Users section initially consists of two check boxes.

• Allow authenticated users to post anonymously.
• Allow Anonymous Posters.
  

When you select either of these two check boxes, other check boxes are displayed:

• Can create topics. Allow users to anonymously create new topics.
• Can create replies. Allow users to anonymously create replies to existing topics.
• Require name. When this check box is selected, a textbox is provided where the user can type a name.
• Require email. When this check box is selected, a textbox is provided where the user can type an email address.
• Store User Id. This check box is only visible when authenticated users are allow to post anonymously.