Restricted categories and photo albums

Your blog's categories and photo albums can be restricted, based on a username and permissions system.

Many blogs are open, which means they don't require readers to log in. This is convenient for readers, but it reduces the system's level of control. For a user to gain access to your restricted content they must log in, so the system can identify them and their permissions within your blog.

You can restrict any category and photo album so that only logged-in users with the appropriate privileges can access it. You can also classify people as Trusted Readers or Trusted Posters, which automatically allows them to access any category or photo album in your blog. (See Content Access Controls for more information.)

To make categories and photo albums restricted

You can make a category or photo album restricted while you are creating, by clicking the Restrict view checkbox on the Add Category page. (See Managing categories and photo albums for more information.)

A restricted category can only be read by the following people:

•	Readers who are logged in and have administrative privileges for your blog

•	Readers who are logged in and have trusted reader status

To allow other people to access the category, you must change the category's permissions. Category permissions described in the To give users access to restricted categories and photo albums section.

Any existing, unrestricted category can be turned into a restricted category, and a restricted category can be made open, by changing a single setting in the Category Settings page.

To change the restricted status of an existing category or photo album:

1.	From the Post Manager tab, select the category or photo album to be modified by clicking it in the Category Tree or selecting it from the drop-down list at the top of the page.

2.	Click the Category Settings link at the top of the page. The Category Settings page opens.

3.	Click or clear the Restrict views checkbox in the Category Properties section.

4.	Click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the page.

To give users access to restricted categories and photo albums

When you create a restricted category or photo album or restrict an existing one, a small set of readers automatically have access to it:

•	Logged-in readers who have Administrative privileges are allowed to view, post to, and administer all restricted categories and photo albums.

•	Logged-in readers who have Trusted Poster privileges are allowed to view and post to all restricted categories and photo albums.

•	Logged-in readers who have Trusted Reader privileges are allowed to view all restricted categories and photo albums.

Any other reader, even one who is logged in, cannot access the restricted category or photo album until they have been granted permission to do so. Such permission is granted in the Category Security page. See Category security for more information.)