Please or Register to create posts and topics.

Suggestion for "legal" way to autosubscribe to one's own new topics and replies

Should "Subscribe to this topic" be checked by default when a user submits a new topic or reply?
Yes
Yes, if the administrator selects an option to do that
No

I think the best way to handle this is to have the “Subscribe to this topic” box checked by default.  Who would not want to see replies to a topic they created or a discussion they are in?  The problem is, it is too easy for people to miss the box before submitting.

As far as privacy laws, they are free to uncheck it, and they agree to receive the notice by submitting the post with the box checked.

This is the way many forums operate, apparently without issue.  For extra cautious administrators, there could be an admin control to check that box by default or not.

If this is not going to happen, I would appreciate some pointers to code that could be used to do this.  Thanks

By the way, this is the way the wordpress.org help forum works.  Apparently it is okay with the EU privacy laws.

I was mistaken, on first reply there you do have to check the box.  Still, why?  If you submit with the box checked (whether it was prechecked or not), isn’t that approval to receive the notice?

Hello @jim

I think from a legal point of view there is a difference. One is an opt-in, where the user has explicitly take actions to agree to it by checking the checkbox. The other one is an opt-out, where the user gets the e-mails without taking actions but has to do extra steps (uncheck the checkbox) to revoke notifications.

As far as I understood, everything has to be opt-in – similar to what we know from the cookie-banners.

If you want to support the development of Asgaros Forum, you can leave a good review or donate. Thank you very much!