Private profiles

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Celo24
Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
in Chit-Chat
I have a question for those of you who have your profiles private (only your friends can see them). And, before we get started, please let me emphasize that I am not judging or trying to be negative in any way.

I understand people's desire for privacy and confidentiality. To me, IN MY OPINION, that makes sense for a site like Facebook when you theoretically know the people on your friend list in real life. You don't want random stalkers or exes or anything like that. I get that.

But here, we are all pretty anonymous anyway. A user name, a short description, our city and some pictures. Pretty vanilla. I like to look at people's profiles and send friend requests to people who I feel would be a good match with me as far as workout goals, background, etc.

So, here's my question: if your profile is private, how the heck am I supposed to know any of that about you?? How are we supposed to make new MFP friends without learning something about each other, especially for people who don't have blogs or play on the forums or any of that but need the support? I've made some great MFP friends who are every bit as important to me as anyone I know in "real life" but without being able to initially read their profile, I may never have made that connection.

Really curious as to what y'all think....
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Replies

  • felice03
    felice03 Posts: 2,732 Member
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    Just yesterday there was a post on here that a lady posted her co-workers diary and mocked her for it. When the stupid people like that leave the site then i will be more than happy to go public
  • kerriBB37
    kerriBB37 Posts: 967 Member
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    I don't really have a hypothesis about this but I am glad you are my friend. =)
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
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    I don't really have a hypothesis about this but I am glad you are my friend. =)

    Thanks Kerri!! Right back at ya! :bigsmile:
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
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    Just yesterday there was a post on here that a lady posted her co-workers diary and mocked her for it. When the stupid people like that leave the site then i will be more than happy to go public

    I'm not talking about diaries. I'm talking about people's profiles as a whole.
  • missbeezy
    missbeezy Posts: 198
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    I have my profile set to private because I know many people that use this site that I don't want to be in my personal business. Point blank. I'm glad they made the option to have a private setting b/c not everything I want to share with people in my community. I don't want someone I don't really care for to be telling people I know how much I weigh etc. I understand your point. Great question
  • misssuperstitious
    misssuperstitious Posts: 178
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    I might be wrong, but can't you read the "about me" portions of the profiles all the time? Just not the diaries and walls when they're set to friends only? Try it out on mine, that's how mine is set...

    EDIT: Sorry, you're right, I didn't know we could adjust both profile and diary.
  • BoxingChick
    BoxingChick Posts: 124 Member
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    .
  • ocsurfmama
    ocsurfmama Posts: 127
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    There are jerks that sign on and read them and then give people a hard time. This sight is all about positive reinforcement. I am actually very proud of my Diary and my food choices overall. Mine is open to anyone that friends me. I figure if a person has added me as a friend they may have read a post I made and liked it or liked the comments I have left. I guess it's a way of knowing that the person is "real."
  • Mrs_McFadden
    Mrs_McFadden Posts: 1,139
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    ITA with the OP :)
    I agree that people should be able to maintain privacy but it just seems that we will be missing out on other cool people to connect with unless they are on a mutual friends page a lot or here on the forums. I'm not going to accept any friend reqs from people that have all info private unless I already know about them in some way.
  • Fat2FitChick
    Fat2FitChick Posts: 451 Member
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    Right but that is a food diary, that can be left private but your profile tell us about you. I have had so many people send friend requests to me with private profiles. The problem is that I always check out the profile first to see if we would be a good match but if I can't find out anything about you at all, not even your inspirations how the heck do you expect people to accept your friend requests? Food diary and profiles are 2 different things and it just makes it hard when every single thing is blocked. You won't make any new friends keeping it all to yourself. I want to have as many friends on here as possible but these darn private profiles make is almost impossible.
  • kirstinkrueger
    kirstinkrueger Posts: 346
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    I was told yesterday (after only a week on here) that mine was private. HAHA I didn't know.
    I can imagine for some people though, this is a harder journey then others. More personal, emotional, and a private thing. Even though I was doing the right thing, when i first started loosing weight and tracking my food, i was almost embarrassed that I was doing it. Sometimes it's just easier knowing that it is a personal journey and that not anyone who comes across you can see how you are doing and what you are posting.
  • roadbiscuit2000
    roadbiscuit2000 Posts: 30
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    I don't like it myself but thats just me.
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
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    I understand the desire to keep food diaries private for some people. THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. I am talking about your profile as a whole, NOT the food diary.
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
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    Right but that is a food diary, that can be left private but your profile tell us about you. I have had so many people send friend requests to me with private profiles. The problem is that I always check out the profile first to see if we would be a good match but if I can't find out anything about you at all, not even your inspirations how the heck do you expect people to accept your friend requests? Food diary and profiles are 2 different things and it just makes it hard when every single thing is blocked. You won't make any new friends keeping it all to yourself. I want to have as many friends on here as possible but these darn private profiles make is almost impossible.

    Exactly.
  • GettingFit45
    GettingFit45 Posts: 22 Member
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    I didn't realize mine was as well! LOL :blushing:

    I don't mind making my profile public but for some reason I don't really wanna show my food diary...!? :ohwell:
  • alliecore
    alliecore Posts: 446 Member
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    I've wondered the same thing. I respect a person's decision to keep food diaries private, but I'm confused as to why a profile would be private. This site is about support. Eh, whatever. I second Kerri. I'm glad you're my friend! :)
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,977 Member
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    If people are in need of friends or support from here then they should not be completely private in an effort to get that. But, there are people who don't want/need that but use the tools that the site provides.

    Really, its a personal choice and I'm sure everyone who has their stuff set the way they do has a reason for it. The boards can get pretty open and people get free with their information, so it wouldn't be a stretch to be able to find out info on most people who've been here for some time.

    I've been here for quite awhile and I do think I've made some friends who I cherish. I don't mind making new ones, but I don't necessarily 'need' them. I would be perfectly content if I went private and just kept the friends I've already made.
  • cnjbarry
    cnjbarry Posts: 91 Member
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    Just yesterday there was a post on here that a lady posted her co-workers diary and mocked her for it. When the stupid people like that leave the site then i will be more than happy to go public

    why would some one do that?
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I agree with you...but also if you are someone's mfp friend you should share your diary so you can be accountable for what you eat. I keep my profile open however just my diary for my friends so they can say 'hey you're not losing cause of this day' etc.
  • vayax
    vayax Posts: 152 Member
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    My profile is public to all MFP members (not everyone that goes into the site but doesn't have an account). My diary is public only to my MFP. If you like what you see on my profile and want to see my diary feel free to send a friend request ;).

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