# If you have a hidden profile it is more difficult to follow your arguments **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [October 15, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-a-hidden-profile-it-is-more-difficult-to-follow-your-arguments/973302 "2022-10-15T20:02:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 34
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2022, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-a-hidden-profile-it-is-more-difficult-to-follow-your-arguments/973302/34 "2022-10-25T12:11:15Z")
I didn’t realize this was here and posted my own thread, so I’ll just repost: > [@Do we need private profiles?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-private-profiles/973602/1): > > Profiles in this board serve almost no purpose. If I hide my profile, I am not removing the ability for other posters to look at my activity. I’m just making it inconvenient. > > Specifically, if I hide my profile, other posters can’t click the “only show Johnny’s posts” button. This is a _super convenient_ feature for quickly reviewing what a poster has been arguing in a thread. I can still do a search for @Johnny_Bravo inside the topic, but the results aren’t nearly as easy to parse. > > There are no requirements whatsoever to include personal information, email addresses, or other identifying material in profiles. As best I can tell, the only people who benefit from hidden profiles are those who want to obfuscate their **activity** from other members of the community, not those who want to protect their identities. > > So - what value is added by letting posters hide their profiles? --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-have-a-hidden-profile-it-is-more-difficult-to-follow-your-arguments/973302)._