Privacy settings control who can see your information and activity on Connect. This guide helps you understand and manage your privacy, and explains how other members can find you when they search Connect.
What Privacy Settings Control
Your privacy settings affect:
- Who can see your profile
- Who can see your contact information
- Who can see your posts and comments
- Who can contact you
- What appears in the member directory
- Whether other members can find you when they search Connect
Accessing Privacy Settings
Step 1: Log In to Connect
Go to your organization's Connect page and log in.
Step 2: Open My Profile
- Click your name or photo (top right corner).
- Click My Profile.
- Scroll down to the Connect Privacy Settings section.
Privacy Levels Explained
Most settings offer these choices:
Public
Who can see: Everyone, including people not logged in
When to use:
- You want maximum visibility
- You're comfortable with anyone seeing this information
Example: Your name and local group affiliation might be public so visitors can find you.
Members Only
Who can see: Anyone with a member account who is logged in
When to use:
- You want to share with all members
- You want some privacy from the general public
Example: Most members choose this for their profile and posts.
Private/Me Only
Who can see: Only you and group administrators
When to use:
- You want maximum privacy
- You only want officers to see this information
Example: Your phone number or email might be private.
Custom/Specific Groups
Who can see: Only members of groups you choose
When to use:
- You want to share with some members but not all
Example: Sharing content only with your local group, not every local group in your organization.
Common Privacy Settings
Photo, Name, Phone, Address, and Email
What it controls: Whether other members and the public can see your photo, name, phone number, mailing address, and email address.
Each of these five items has its own pair of switches, shown as two columns:
In Connect: Other members can see this when they are logged into Connect.
Publicly: Anyone can see this on pages Connect shows to visitors who are not logged in.
Publicly can only be turned on once In Connect is turned on for that same item. Turning In Connect off also turns Publicly off.
Show My Name has one more effect. Turning it off means you cannot comment on posts. Any comments you already made are hidden from other members. Connect marks this switch with a small asterisk as a reminder.
Show My Address is the newest of these five, added September 3, 2026. Members who already had a Connect account before that date had both switches turned off automatically, so no one's address became visible without their choosing it. Your address stays hidden until you turn it on. Members added after that date start with both switches turned on, like the other settings.
Recommended: Turn on In Connect for the items you want fellow members to see. Leave Publicly off unless you also want people outside your organization to see it.
To change:
- Click the switch next to In Connect or Publicly for the item you want to change.
- Connect saves your choice right away. There is no separate Save button for this table.
- Look for the confirmation message "Privacy settings have been saved" in the corner of the screen.
Directory Listing
What it controls: Whether you appear in the member directory search
Options:
- Appear in directory
- Hide from directory
Recommended: Appear in directory (helps members find and connect with you)
To change:
- Find "Directory Settings"
- Check or uncheck "Appear in member directory"
- Click "Save"
Post Visibility
What it controls: Default privacy for posts you create
Options:
- Public
- Members only
- Officers only
Recommended: Members only
Note: You can change this for each individual post when you create it.
To change:
- Find "Default Post Privacy"
- Select your preference
- Click "Save"
Finding Other Members
The search box at the top of Connect can also find other members, not just local groups and pages. Whether this is turned on, and how far it reaches, depends on how your organization has set it up.
Searching for a Member
- Click the search box at the top of any Connect page. When member search is on, the box says "Find a group or member."
- Type at least three letters of the person's first or last name.
- Matching members appear in a list below any matching groups. Each row shows a photo (or a generic silhouette if they have not shared one) and the local group they belong to.
- Click a name to open that member's page.
Member search only matches names. It never matches phone numbers, email addresses, or any other information.
The list shows up to eight matches at a time. If there are more, a note says so. Type more of the name to narrow the results.
Who Can Be Found
Your organization controls how far member search reaches:
- Off. No one can search for members.
- Your own local group (the default). You can find other members of your own local group (the individual unit within your organization, such as a chapter, post, or committee). They can find you too.
- The whole organization. You can find any member in any local group, and any member can find you.
Only Groupable can change this setting for your organization. If your organization wants it changed, contact Groupable support.
Member search works only for members who are logged into Connect and currently hold an active membership. If you turn off Show My Name (see above), you will not appear in anyone's search results, even to members of your own local group. Turning off your name does not stop you from searching for others.
What a Member's Page Shows
Clicking a member's name opens a page showing only what that member has chosen to share. It uses the same Photo, Name, Phone, Address, and Email settings described above:
- Their name, and their preferred name if they have set one.
- Their photo, if they show it.
- The local groups they belong to, and any current officer positions.
- Their phone, email, and mailing address, each shown only if they have turned on the matching setting.
If a member has not shared any contact details, the page displays the message "This member has not shared contact details" instead.
A member's page never shows their member number, dues, payment history, birth date, or membership history. You see far less about another member than you see about yourself on your own My Profile page.
If You Can't Find Someone
If a search does not turn up someone you expect to find, the most likely reasons are:
- They do not currently hold an active membership.
- Your organization limits member search to local groups, and you do not share one with them.
- They have turned off Show My Name.
If you never see a Members section in search results, your organization may have member search turned off. Contact Groupable support to check.
Typing a member's page address directly does not work around any of this. Connect sends you back to the Connect home page with the message "Could not find the member you are looking for."
Who Can Contact You
Control who can send you messages through Connect:
Options:
- Anyone
- Members only
- Officers only
- No one
To change:
- Find "Who can contact me"
- Select your preference
- Click "Save"
What Officers Can Always See
Important: Officers and group administrators can always see:
- Your contact information (from member records)
- Your membership status and history
- Your payment history
- Your event RSVPs
Privacy settings only control what other members and the public can see.
Reviewing Your Privacy
Check what others see:
See What Other Members See
- Click the search box at the top of any Connect page.
- Type your own name.
- Click your name in the results.
Your page opens exactly as other members see it, with a banner at the top confirming this. If you have turned off Show My Name, the banner also lets you know that other members cannot find you. Click Privacy Settings in the banner to jump back to these settings.
This only works if your organization has member search turned on and you currently hold an active membership. See "Finding Other Members" above for more about how member search works.
Privacy Checkup
Some systems offer a privacy checkup:
- Go to Privacy Settings
- Look for "Privacy Checkup" or "Review Privacy"
- Follow the prompts to review each setting
Changing Settings
Make a Change
- Go to your Connect Privacy Settings.
- Click the switch for the setting you want to change.
Connect saves your choice immediately. A confirmation message appears in the corner of the screen, usually "Privacy settings have been saved." There is no separate Save button to click.
Undo a Change
If you change your mind:
- Go back to your Connect Privacy Settings.
- Click the same switch again to change it back.
Recommended Privacy Settings
For most members, we recommend:
Photo, Name, Phone, Address, Email: In Connect on, Publicly off Directory Listing: Included Post Privacy: Members Only Who Can Contact You: Members Only
These settings:
- Let you connect with fellow members
- Keep your contact info private
- Protect you from unwanted contact
- Maintain appropriate fraternal boundaries
Special Situations
You're an Officer
As an officer, consider:
- Making your email visible to members (so they can contact you)
- Keeping phone private unless needed
- Being visible in directory
You Want Maximum Privacy
For maximum privacy:
- Turn off In Connect for your photo and name
- Turn off In Connect and Publicly for your contact details
- Hide from Directory
- Set Posts to Officers Only
Note: This will limit your ability to connect with members.
You Want Maximum Visibility
For maximum visibility:
- Turn on In Connect for your photo and name
- Show email to members
- Appear in Directory
- Set Posts to Members Only
Don't recommend Public unless specifically needed.
Privacy and Group Pages
When viewing group pages:
- The group's privacy settings control who sees content
- Your settings control who sees your personal information
- Comments and posts follow the group's visibility rules
Troubleshooting
Changes Won't Save
Problem: You change a switch but it doesn't stay changed.
Solutions:
- Wait a moment and refresh the page. Connect saves your choice automatically within a few seconds.
- Check for an error message in the corner of the screen.
- Try a different browser.
- Contact your webmaster.
Not Sure What Setting to Choose
Problem: You're not sure which privacy level is right.
Solutions:
- Start with "Members Only" - this is safe and social
- You can always change it later
- Ask your local group's secretary for advice
- Review recommended settings above
Can't Find a Privacy Setting
Problem: Looking for a setting you can't find.
Possible reasons:
- Your organization may not have that feature enabled
- It may be called something different
- It may be in a different section
Solutions:
- Check all tabs in Settings
- Use the search function in settings
- Contact your webmaster
Can't Find a Member You're Looking For
Problem: You search for a member by name and nothing appears, or you never see a Members section at all.
Possible reasons:
- Your organization has member search turned off.
- They do not currently hold an active membership.
- Your organization limits member search to local groups, and you do not share one with them.
- They have turned off Show My Name.
Solutions:
- Double-check the spelling of their name.
- Ask your local group's secretary whether the member is active.
- Contact Groupable support if you believe your organization's member search setting needs to change.
Need Help?
Contact your secretary or webmaster if:
- You need help choosing privacy settings
- Your settings won't save
- You want to know who can see specific information
- You have concerns about privacy
- You can't find a member you're looking for
Next Steps
Glossary
Local Group: The individual unit within your organization where members hold their primary membership. Depending on your organization, this might correspond to a chapter, local committee, post, or similar body.