Frequently Asked Questions
Who can post anonymously?
Section titled “Who can post anonymously?”Any logged-in member whose role is allowed. If the “Role Based Anonymous Posting” list is empty, every logged-in user qualifies. You can also exclude BuddyPress member types, or require a verified badge when BP Verified Member is active. Administrators (any user with the manage_options capability) always bypass these restrictions.
Do administrators see the anonymous checkbox?
Section titled “Do administrators see the anonymous checkbox?”No. Administrators bypass the posting rules but the checkbox is not shown to them, so always test anonymous posting with a non-admin member.
Can a member choose per post whether to be anonymous?
Section titled “Can a member choose per post whether to be anonymous?”Yes. The anonymous checkbox is unticked by default, so a member decides on each activity, comment, or forum post whether to post anonymously or under their own name.
Are comments supported, not just activity posts?
Section titled “Are comments supported, not just activity posts?”Yes. When “Allow Anonymous Comments” is on, the checkbox is injected into activity comment reply forms.
Does it work in forums?
Section titled “Does it work in forums?”Yes, when “Allow Anonymous Posts in Forums” is enabled and a forum plugin is active. The plugin uses its BuddyBoss Forums integration when BuddyBoss Platform is active, and its standalone bbPress integration otherwise. The forums toggle is hidden entirely when neither is present.
Do I need BuddyPress or BuddyBoss?
Section titled “Do I need BuddyPress or BuddyBoss?”Yes. The plugin requires BuddyPress or BuddyBoss Platform. If neither is active it deactivates itself and shows an admin notice.
Is the real author hidden from me as the site owner?
Section titled “Is the real author hidden from me as the site owner?”No, and this is intentional. The real user_id stays on the activity row, and forum posts keep the real author in _bp_anonymous_user_id post meta. Anonymity is a display-level promise, not encryption. Since 1.6.2, revealing the real author on a forum post requires both a genuine WordPress admin screen and a moderate or manage_options capability.
Can other members ever find out who posted?
Section titled “Can other members ever find out who posted?”Not through the plugin. The display name, avatar, and profile link are all replaced, and notifications and emails are suppressed. Anyone with direct database or hosting access can still identify the author, and content a member writes about themselves is never filtered.
Does disabling a location delete existing anonymous posts?
Section titled “Does disabling a location delete existing anonymous posts?”No. Turning off a location toggle only hides the checkbox for new posts. Existing anonymous posts are unchanged and stay masked.
Do anonymous posts still count in member statistics?
Section titled “Do anonymous posts still count in member statistics?”Yes. The post is still tied to the real user in the database, so activity counts and totals include it.
Does anonymous posting work in private or hidden groups?
Section titled “Does anonymous posting work in private or hidden groups?”Yes. Group privacy is enforced by BuddyPress independently. An anonymous post in a private group is visible only to group members, and appears anonymous to all of them.
Can I change the anonymous name and avatar?
Section titled “Can I change the anonymous name and avatar?”Yes. Set the anonymous display name, the checkbox labels, and a custom anonymous avatar on the General tab. Without a custom avatar the plugin uses its bundled anonymous-mask SVG.
Does the plugin need a licence key to work?
Section titled “Does the plugin need a licence key to work?”No. A licence key from wbcomdesigns.com only enables automatic update delivery. All features work without one.