Jeff Sayre, a BuddyPress developer and forum moderator, has released a new component over the weekend that gives BuddyPress users a range of privacy options. This component provides BuddyPress users with the ability to control who has access to various pieces of their personal data, including privacy options for profiles, activities, friends, messaging, and blogs. Full description:

The BuddyPress Authorization component (also referred to as BPAz, BP-Authz, or BuddyPress Privacy Component) is a BuddyPress component that allows users fine, granular control over who has access to which pieces of their personal data. It provides this service by hooking into BuddyPress’ core functionality, thereby giving users the ability to control (grant or deny) access to each piece, or grouping of, their personal data.

BPAz deals with authorization by verifying and managing access rights an authenticated user has to other’s objects–although a user may choose to expose their data to non-logged in users as well.

Many developers are finding creative uses for the WPMU / BuddyPress platform that are much more varied than what you would expect from your average Facebook-style social networking site. This privacy component makes BuddyPress even more versatile for use as a multi-user profile-based CMS. Each user is now able to manage his own profile and content with the easily adjustable access rights available in this component.

You can download it at Jeff Sayre’s website. Installation instructions can be found in the readme.txt file as well as on the download page.

Jeff Sayre also an excellent write-up of authentication vs. authorization which is pertinent to the privacy control issue in BuddyPress and necessary for understanding the foundation of this component.

BuddyPress 1.2 has provisions for privacy control, according BuddyPress Roadmap and Jeff Sayer has submitted his component to Andy Peatling for consideration for the core.

You can find discussion and updates on the BuddyPress Privacy Component here: http://buddypress.org/forums/topic/buddypress-privacy-component-an-update

Who’s tried out the BuddyPress Privacy Component? What are your thoughts?