Opt-in access filters

[kaberett]

Title:
Opt-in access filters

Area:
privacy, circle management, filters

Summary:
Many users have opt-in access filters, allowing their readers to specify which topics interest them. Currently this tends to involve a lot of work for a journal owner in terms of transcribing results from polls or views expressed in comments. An automated system allowing people on given journal owner's access list to opt-in to filters without requiring work on the part of the J.O. would be awesome.

Description:
Journal owners will often decide that they want to filter their posts according to subject - e.g. "knitting" or "offspring" or "local happenings" or "school" or "health"-related posts - so that their readers are not exposed to posts on topics they have no interest in. Currently, this is typically managed by the journal owner asking their access list/readers to leave a comment/respond to a poll indicating what the readers would like to see. The journal owner then needs to transcribe these results onto the circle management page - which typically involves repeatedly switching between browser windows/tabs.

It would be potentially useful if some of this process could be automated to reduce the amount of work the journal owner has to do.

I envisage something like:

1. J.O. creates an access filter, and specifies that it is an opt-in filter.
2. J.O. flags to readers that these opt-in filters exist/new subscribers are informed that these opt-in filters exist as they subscribe.
3. Readers tick some boxes that indicate "if I [have been/am in future] granted access, I wish to be included in this subset of opt-in filters"
4. J.O. receives a notification that Reader X wishes to be added to filters X,Y,Z. Notification includes links "click here to allow all" and "click here to edit" (for those cases where J.O. decides they really don't fancy having their family members on their sex filter, or what have you!)
5. Profit!!!

The main problem I see with this is that it causes many, MANY more options to become available, in ways that might be intimidating - which in turn makes me think that this might be a good feature to roll out as a perk of paid accounts.

Poll #9800 Opt-in access filters

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 61

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
29 (47.5%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
6 (9.8%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
8 (13.1%)

(I have no opinion)
15 (24.6%)

(Other: please comment)
3 (4.9%)