---
title: Privacy & Permissions
description: Control who can access and interact with your spaces
category: community-admin/spaces
order: 2
---

# Privacy & Permissions

Control access to your spaces and define what members can do within them.

---

## Space Privacy Levels

### Public Spaces

Anyone can view content:
- Visible to all visitors
- Searchable by Google
- No login required to view
- Great for marketing content

**Use for:** Landing pages, public articles, marketing events

### Members Only

Only registered members can access:
- Must be logged in
- All members have access
- Content not publicly searchable
- Good for general community content

**Use for:** Community discussions, member resources

### Tier-Specific

Only specific membership tiers can access:
- Restricts to paid members
- Different tiers can have different access
- Premium content protection
- Upsell opportunity

**Use for:** Premium content, exclusive events, paid courses

---

## Setting Space Privacy

### On Creation

1. Click **+ New Space**
2. In the privacy section, choose:
   - Public
   - Members Only
   - Specific Tiers (select which)
3. Complete creation

### Changing Privacy

1. Go to **Spaces**
2. Click on the space
3. Click **Settings** (gear icon)
4. Go to **Privacy** tab
5. Select new privacy level
6. Click **Save**

**Note:** Changing to more restrictive won't remove existing members but will block new access.

---

## Post-Level Privacy

### Overriding Space Privacy

Individual posts can have different privacy:
- Public post in members-only space
- Premium post in public space

### Setting Post Privacy

1. Create or edit a post
2. Find **Visibility** setting
3. Choose access level
4. Publish

---

## Permissions Overview

### What Can Be Controlled

| Permission | Description |
|------------|-------------|
| **View** | See content in the space |
| **Post** | Create new posts |
| **Comment** | Comment on posts |
| **React** | Like/react to posts |
| **Share** | Share posts externally |

### Permission Levels

| Level | Capabilities |
|-------|-------------|
| **Admin** | Full control, all permissions |
| **Moderator** | Manage content, moderate discussions |
| **Editor** | Create and edit content |
| **Member** | View, comment, react (based on settings) |
| **Visitor** | View only (public spaces) |

---

## Configuring Permissions

### Space-Level Permissions

1. Go to **Spaces > [Space Name] > Settings**
2. Click **Permissions** tab
3. Configure each permission:

| Setting | Options |
|---------|---------|
| Who can post | Everyone, Editors+, Moderators+, Admins |
| Who can comment | Everyone, Members, Editors+, None |
| Who can react | Everyone, Members, None |

4. Click **Save**

### Default Permissions by Space Type

| Space Type | Default Posting | Default Comments |
|------------|-----------------|------------------|
| News | Editors+ | Members |
| Events | Editors+ | Members |
| Courses | Admins | Disabled |
| Social | Members | Members |
| Jobs | Editors+ | Members |
| Directory | Admins | Disabled |

---

## Role Management

### Assigning Roles

1. Go to **Members**
2. Find the member
3. Click **Edit**
4. Select **Role**
5. Save

### Role Hierarchy

```
Admin
  └── Moderator
        └── Editor
              └── Member
                    └── Visitor
```

Higher roles inherit lower role permissions.

---

## Membership Tier Access

### Restricting by Tier

Create exclusive content for paying members:

1. Set space privacy to "Specific Tiers"
2. Select which tiers can access
3. Members without tier see upgrade prompt

### Multiple Tier Access

A space can be accessible to multiple tiers:
- Free tier sees basic spaces
- Premium tier sees basic + premium spaces
- VIP tier sees all spaces

---

## Content Gating

### What is Content Gating?

Showing previews but requiring access for full content:
- Teaser visible publicly
- Full content behind login/paywall
- Encourages sign-ups and upgrades

### Implementing Gates

1. Set post as partially public
2. Configure "Read more" gate
3. Set required access level
4. Non-qualifying users see upgrade prompt

---

## Best Practices

### Permission Strategy

| Community Type | Recommended Setup |
|----------------|-------------------|
| **Free community** | Public news, members-only social |
| **Paid community** | Members-only everything, tier-gated premium |
| **Hybrid** | Public marketing, paid core content |

### Security Tips

- Regularly audit member access
- Remove inactive moderators
- Review tier assignments
- Check for permission creep

### Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Solution |
|---------|----------|
| Everything public | Gate valuable content |
| Too restrictive | Keep some content public for discovery |
| Complex permissions | Keep it simple, use tiers |

---

## Related Guides

- [Spaces Guide](./spaces-guide.md)
- [Moderation](./moderation.md)
- [Membership Tiers](../membership/membership-tiers.md)

---

Need help? Contact support@uni8.ai
