E-mail address-based privacy customization

[futuresuperhero]

Title
E-mail address-based privacy customization

Short, concise description of the idea
Allow LJ users to allow create a list of "approved" readers, based on a list of e-mail addresses. Approved addresses would be able to read the posts, all others would be blocked.

Full description of the ideaBasically, I'm looking for a way to keep my child's LJ

Comments

[asciident]

I'm not sure how the owners of those email addresses would authenticate on LJ any easier than simply logging into an empty account meant for reading only... ? Could you elaborate on how you think that might work?

[ex_deadmanta171]

Seems like this would require a validation email and a password... which leads to the question... why not just create an account?

[asciident]

The only other option I can think of is an OpenID-esque situation, but it's a pretty big leap to assume nonLJ grandparents are coming from an OpenID enabled site, so. Yeah... I don't think this makes it any easier.

[jai_dit]

I agree; it would probably be a lot easier (and quicker!) to register an account for the grandparents, and just leave it always logged in on their computer.

[midnightmadness]

I don't think I really entirely understand how you envision this working. Are you suggesting that someone could log into LJ using their e-mail address and just entering that alone would allow pre approved access to a journal?

What would keep anyone that knows their email address from just entering it and gaining access? What would secure it against that?

Why can't you just set up a free LJ account for the child's grandparents to log in and read from there? You could even give them a user name that's exactly the same as their e-mail address (if it still is avaialble or fits).

Given that the existing LJ system is free to join and it's much more secure when working from within the LJ system of users and usernames, that some type of "approved" reader list is already done better. The "list of approved readers" format already exists through LJ accounts and friends and filters.

[leora]

The only authentication by email system I'm aware of works like this.

You have the approved lists of email addresses.
Person enters their email address.
Person is sent an email and must go to an URL generated uniquely each time.
Person when visiting that URL gets cookies and is thus viewed as logged in for that email address. This expires the same way any other login does.

Is this what you had in mind? It's require the grandparents to wait for an email, then go to an URL, before then going to the journal. And I'm not sure that's easier or more intuitive than having a login and password.

[ccnuggie]

If they can enter in an e-mail address when they want to view her protected entries, then they can enter a username/password to do the same.

Silly suggestion.

[cos]

Either I don't understand what you're looking for, or if I do understand, then I don't understand why you don't just make a free account for them all, give them the password to it, and friend that account.