BuddyPress.org

wordpress:4.4 buddypress:2.4.3 theme: TwentyFourteen
website:BakoBookNerds.com

I run a site for my book club BakoBookNerds.com. I have many non-computer-savvy members who require idiot-proof user control.

First, let me quickly explain how my users are currently setup.

I had to allow immediate access for new registered users because many kept thinking they did it wrong when their login wouldn’t work right away. So I disabled the approval-needed portion of signup. Instead, I use a plugin that allows me to approve their access. All registered users can now login immediately but the user role for new members is extremely restricted until I approve them.

Each member has to be able to talk to each other and so i also added a automatic-friends plugin so that they can be linked without having to take that extra step. (I would also be okay with friends being removed completely since the group is fairly small -if that is an option??) Each of their personal information is listed in their profiles so I don’t want that information becoming viewable to new members until they have gotten past the probationary period.

What I need is this:

I need a newly registered user to still have immediate access to their logins. But until I approve them, or update their user roles, I don’t want them to be able to see the other member’s profiles. They can still have a profile, and participate in forums, and stuff.. I just don’t want them gaining access to user profiles -with contact info, etc- until we know they are a real person who is really wanting to join our book club, and not just a bored internet troll.

I already have user access plugins in place for member-only posts & stuff but the other member profiles become viewable to anyone who is logged in. Since the members wont use the “friend” function, I have linked them all as friends automatically so restricting users to friends only doesn’t work…. they all still see it anyway. (before you suggest removing the friends plugin…. If I were to remove automatic-friends, and change profile privacy to friends-only, since none of my users would add friends, then no one would be able to view eachother’s contact info via their profiles…) That was the only reason to link all users as friends automatically. But with new members its become an issue.

So. Anyone have any suggestions? Plugins that would work? etc?

Is there a function or plugin that would take care of all of this for me? I might have over complicated my website with too many plugins. If there is a plugin that does all of the above I can just use the one.