Introduction
BuddyPress Anonymous Activity
Section titled “BuddyPress Anonymous Activity”BuddyPress Anonymous Activity lets logged-in members post activities, leave comments, and create forum topics or replies without revealing their identity. The real author is preserved in the database for admin reference — only the public display is anonymized.
What the plugin does
Section titled “What the plugin does”When a member checks “Post as Anonymous User” before submitting an activity or comment, the plugin:
- Replaces the author’s display name with the configured anonymous label (default: “Anonymous User”)
- Swaps the author’s avatar with a placeholder image
- Changes the profile link to
#so it does not resolve to the real member’s profile - Suppresses BuddyPress email notifications and in-app notifications that would otherwise reveal the real identity
- Stores
is_anonymous = 1in activity meta so the display layer knows to anonymize the post
The real user_id stays on the activity row. Permissions, edit/delete checks, and the author’s own profile feed all work normally.
Who can post anonymously
Section titled “Who can post anonymously”Any logged-in user whose role appears in the “Role Based Anonymous Posting” setting can use the anonymous checkbox. Administrators always bypass the role restriction. If no roles are selected, all logged-in users can post anonymously. Optionally, you can restrict anonymous posting to members who have been verified by the BP Verified Member plugin.
Supported surfaces
Section titled “Supported surfaces”| Surface | What can be anonymous |
|---|---|
| Sitewide activity feed | New posts |
| Group activity feeds | New posts |
| User profile activity | New posts |
| Activity comments | Comments on any activity |
| bbPress forums | Topics and replies |
| BuddyBoss forums | Topics and replies |
Each surface can be turned on or off independently from the General Settings page.
Requirements
Section titled “Requirements”| Requirement | Minimum version |
|---|---|
| WordPress | 5.4 |
| BuddyPress or BuddyBoss Platform | Any supported release |
| PHP | 7.4 recommended |
The plugin deactivates itself automatically and shows an admin notice if neither BuddyPress nor BuddyBoss Platform is active.
Compatible with
Section titled “Compatible with”- BuddyPress (BP Nouveau template pack and legacy themes)
- BuddyBoss Platform (including BuddyBoss theme)
- Youzify theme
- RTMedia (removes secondary avatar from anonymous activity action text)
- BP Verified Member (optionally restricts anonymous posting to verified members)
- bbPress (standalone forum anonymous posting)