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[Bug 1353516] Re: Site option to prevent display of usernames

 

Hi Tony,

Looking at the git history, it appears the $username parameter of
display_username() was added back in 2010 in order to support the
$cfg->searchusernames option, i.e. Administration -> Site options ->
User settings -> Search usernames. This option is on by default, and its
help text: "If checked, allow usernames to be search on as part of
'Search users'."

I think we could use some consistency in our approach, though. As it
currently stands, usernames are... semi-private.

- Admins & staff can always see usernames
- Users can see their own username, on their account settings page
- The username is displayed on the user search page, if you don't disable "Search usernames"
- If you have clean URLs turned on, the username is a default part of a user's cleanurl.

If we're adding a sitewide option to hide usernames (and apparently
there is a use-case for it), then we should just eliminate "Search
usernames" as a separate option. Instead, we say that if usernames are
hidden, you can't search by them. Also if usernames are hidden, we
should use a different method to the default Clean URL. Maybe by passing
the user's name (or preferred name) through the url generator, instead
of their username.

** Changed in: mahara
    Milestone: None => 15.04.0

** Changed in: mahara
   Importance: Medium => Wishlist

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1353516

Title:
  Site option to prevent display of usernames

Status in Mahara ePortfolio:
  In Progress

Bug description:
  There are a few places in Mahara where usernames are displayed to
  ordinary users (e.g. user/find.php and user/online.php). This may be a
  privacy issue for sites where email addresses are used as usernames.

  This patch adds a site option enabling the admin to prevent usernames
  being displayed to ordinary users anywhere in the site.

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References