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How to Make Your Groups Private or Public in Communities

Private groups in Stack are specialized, restricted-access communities designed for confidential discussions and collaboration. These groups provide a secure environment for focused interaction, making them perfect for exclusive engagements or sensitive projects.

Table of Contents​

What is this Feature?​

Private groups are communities within Stack designed for controlled access and confidential discussions. These groups are accessible only to authorized members, ensuring that content and conversations are restricted to those specifically invited or approved.

Private groups offer a range of functionalities, including converting regular groups to private ones. The roles within a group, such as Owner, Admin, and Contributor, come with specific responsibilities to ensure a well-structured environment.

Roles and Responsibilities​

  • Owner: Can assign users as admin/contributor, convert groups between public and private, and review and accept membership requests.
  • Admin: Can assign users as admin/contributor, convert groups between public and private, review and accept membership requests, and change roles of contributors and other admins.
  • Contributor: Participates in discussions but has no authority over group settings or membership.

Joining a private group requires members to request access, which admins or owners must approve. Once accepted, members receive an email confirmation with magic links for seamless access.

Private groups can transition between public and private statuses, providing flexibility to evolve according to their objectives. This feature is ideal for internal communications, exclusive community engagement, or focused collaboration.

Usage Cases​

  • Confidential Discussions: Ensure only authorized individuals can access and participate in discussions.
  • Focused Collaboration: Facilitate collaboration on specific projects or tasks, minimizing external distractions.
  • Membership Request and Approval: Control entry by requiring interested members to request to join.
  • Public to Private Group Transition: Restrict future content to current members or open up to a wider audience.
  • Customized Role Management: Assign roles like Owner, Admin, and Contributor for structured management.

Benefits​

  • Controlled Access: Protect sensitive information by ensuring only authorized members can view and participate.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Create a focused environment for collaboration without unrelated distractions.
  • Structured Community Management: Streamline management with clearly defined roles.
  • Customizable Branding and Appearance: Tailor the group's branding, colors, and images to align with specific themes.
  • Seamless Membership Management: Easily review and approve membership requests and adjust roles.
  • Transition Flexibility: Convert groups from public to private or vice versa as needed.
  • Secure Communication: Restrict access to approved members for confidential discussions.

How to Use This Feature​

Creating and Managing a Group​

  1. Create a New Group: Click on the site and select "Create Group." Name the group, customize its appearance, and click "Create Group."
  2. Convert to Private: Adjust the group settings to make the group private for confidential discussions.
    • Navigate to your Group area.
    • Click on the Gear icon.
    • Select "Group Type" and switch to "Private."
    • Click "Save."
  3. Customize Appearance: Edit colors, images, and branding to suit your needs.

Membership Management​

  • Request to Join: Interested members click on the group URL and request to join. The request button should change to "requested."
  • Review and Approve Requests: Admins and owners can review and accept or reject requests from the "People" section using the "Requested" filter.
  • Adjusting Roles: Owners and admins can assign roles (admin/contributor) to members.

Group Visibility​

  • Access Control: Adjust roles and control who can see and participate in the group.
  • Access for Non-Group Members: Decide if the group should be visible to non-members who have access to other groups in the account. This setting controls whether non-members can see your group in the group switcher.