Password Protection Option

[charmian]

Title:
Password Protection Option

Area:
Security

Summary:
A new level of security, password protection, could be created. It would be similar to the <a href="http://en.wordpress.com/features/password-protected-posts/">Wordpress feature,</a> where viewers must enter a password in order to see a post.

Description:
Sometimes, users might want someone who doesn't have a Dreamwidth account to see a post. This person might have a low level of internet know-how, or not want to go through the trouble of using openID to simply see one post. (Or, it could be a group of persons, meaning that it might be inconvenient to add them all)

Or, if this person has a Dreamwidth or openID account, the user might not want to grant them access because it would mean that they could see all of the user's access-locked posts on the Default Access List level of security.

In terms of feeds or crossposts, the post would be replaced with a link to the Dreamwidth entry (since LJ doesn't allow for passwording). Comments would also not be visible.

In terms of the posting interface, I think it could be placed under security options after Custom Filters. If selected, there would appear a box where the poster could type in the password. Password-protected posts would be public (I'm not sure there is much use in them being Access-locked).

Poll #1498 Password Protection Option

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 41

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
11 (26.8%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
6 (14.6%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
12 (29.3%)

(I have no opinion)
12 (29.3%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[matgb]

Disagree with this--sure, it could be an option to hide it that much, but I'd want such entries to appear in my RSS marked as "password protected" (I'd also like some way of pinging RSS readers and aggregators that don't use auth=digest as well) as that's where a fair few readers come from.

There's no point, to me, in having an easier way to have non-site users get to an entry then make it impossible for them to find it. This would be especially true of some older family members who might just possibly remember to check a URL, etc.