Group Privacy
Each group inside your school must be created as either:
- Public
- Private
Group privacy determines who can see and access the group.
Choosing the correct group type is important for structured collaboration.
Public Groups
Section titled “Public Groups”A Public Group:
- Is visible to all members of the school.
- Can be accessed by any school member.
- Appears in the sidebar for all users (unless restricted by role permissions).
Public groups are suitable for:
- General announcements
- School-wide discussions
- Shared academic spaces
- Open collaboration areas
Public groups encourage transparency and open participation.
Private Groups
Section titled “Private Groups”A Private Group:
- Is visible only to its members.
- Can only be accessed by members added to the group.
- Does not appear in the sidebar for non-members.
- Is hidden from users who are not part of the group.
Private groups are suitable for:
- Project teams
- Administrative discussions
- Faculty-only communication
- Restricted committees
- Sensitive collaboration
Private groups protect confidentiality and controlled collaboration.
Who Can Create Public or Private Groups?
Section titled “Who Can Create Public or Private Groups?”The ability to create groups depends on role permissions.
Depending on your school configuration:
- The Owner may create groups.
- Specific roles may be allowed to create groups.
- All members may be allowed to create groups.
If you cannot see the Create Group option, your role may not have permission.
See:
→ Roles & Permissions
Important: Group Type Cannot Be Changed
Section titled “Important: Group Type Cannot Be Changed”When a group is created, its type cannot be changed later.
This means:
- A Public group cannot be converted to Private
- A Private group cannot be converted to Public
If you choose the wrong type, you must create a new group instead.
Because of this, it is important to carefully choose the group type during creation.
See:
→ Create a group
Privacy and Roles
Section titled “Privacy and Roles”Group privacy works together with role permissions.
For example:
- Even if a group is public, role permissions may restrict certain actions.
- Private group access depends on both membership and role permissions.
Both must allow access.
Governance Considerations
Section titled “Governance Considerations”Before creating a group:
- Decide whether the group should be open to all members.
- Consider long-term confidentiality.
- Clearly define membership for private groups.
- Avoid unnecessary private groups in open communities.
Use privacy intentionally to keep the school structure clear.
Public vs Private — Quick Comparison
Section titled “Public vs Private — Quick Comparison”| Feature | Public Group | Private Group |
|---|---|---|
| Visible to all members | Yes | No |
| Accessible by all members | Yes | No |
| Appears in sidebar for everyone | Yes | No |
| Requires explicit membership | No | Yes |
| Suitable for sensitive discussions | No | Yes |
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”- Use public groups for transparency and open discussions.
- Use private groups for restricted collaboration.
- Avoid creating too many private groups unnecessarily.
- Review private group membership regularly.
- Clearly define the purpose of each group.
Common Questions
Section titled “Common Questions”Can members see that a private group exists?
Section titled “Can members see that a private group exists?”No.
Private groups are completely hidden from non-members.
Can I change a group from public to private?
Section titled “Can I change a group from public to private?”No.
Group type cannot be changed after creation.
You must create a new group with the correct type.
Does group privacy override school membership?
Section titled “Does group privacy override school membership?”No.
Only members of the school can access groups.
Privacy controls access within the school.