BuddyPress.org

@mrjarbenne – Good point.

To set a default privacy level that ensures no one inadvertently exposes info, open the file simple-buddypress-privacy.php using a basic plain text editor like Notepad on Windows (do not use Microsoft Word to edit code). Find this line near the top somewhere:

define( ‘CPT_BP_XPROFILE_PRIVACY_FIELD_DEF_VALUE’, ‘3’ );

Change the number 3 to 0 (zero). Save the file, then upload the plugin and activate it. By changing 3 to 0 the plugin will default to making all profile fields invisible to everyone except the profile owner. Then students can edit their profile and intentionally choose which fields to expose.

That’s the quick fix for your particular situation.

Of course that still doesn’t allow you to force any permanent settings since students ultimately get control. But I see your point – I just don’t agree with it entirely even in the case of elementary school students.

As a parent, I advocate teaching along with careful monitoring – the two go hand in hand. Of course being taught involves the student making mistakes – granted. So, if you really want to ensure that no student exposes sensitive information then consider not providing a mechanism for such information to be put into a Web site – particularly since unless you put those computers in a vault at night then you have no idea who is really accessing that information nor when it is accessed. For example, what if your school is burglarized and the computer(s) stolen? Or if your site is not hosted in the school itself, then you have no total control whatsoever over what happens to the information in the site.