Add-on Easy way to anonymize users (batch update)

[Mr. Jinx]

Instead of deleting old inactive members, I want to anonymize inactive accounts.
Reason: When you delete a members, the proces is irreversible and all posts are assigned to one guest users.
This has some downsides.

By anonymizing accounts, you still have all posts assigned to an identity, and you have the option to restore an account.

The Member Self Delete add-on has this functionality.
It would be perfect if we could do this to batch update (inactive) accounts:

 

[Mr. Jinx]

Anyone interested in creating such a feature?

 

[foiovitor]

I need this functionality too… Any news about it?

 

[fords8]

So instead of being self-delete and assigning anonymize users, you want to list in admin say 20 inactive accounts and replace those usernames with 20 different usernames or dump them all under one username?

• Use XenForo’s admin filters (e.g., last activity > 12 months ago).
• Export or list user IDs.

• Replace username with a generic format (e.g., “Anon1 , Anon2, Anon3, ect. ”)
• Clear email, avatar, and profile fields. Keeps posts and threads intact under the anonymized identity.
• Optionally log the original username/email for potential restoration

 

[Mr. Jinx]

I need this functionality too… Any news about it?

@Painbaker made some custom addons for me that did the job. As far as I know, it is not released as a public addon.

So instead of being self-delete and assigning anonymize users, you want to list in admin say 20 inactive accounts and replace those usernames with 20 different usernames or dump them all under one username?

• Use XenForo’s admin filters (e.g., last activity > 12 months ago).
• Export or list user IDs.

• Replace username with a generic format (e.g., “Anon1 , Anon2, Anon3, ect. ”)
• Clear email, avatar, and profile fields. Keeps posts and threads intact under the anonymized identity.
• Optionally log the original username/email for potential restoration

That's basically it. Those anonymize actions are added to the batch update user function so that we can remove all personal profile stuff from these users. Username is renamed to "Member {userid}".

 

[foiovitor]

In my case, just need to replace the username to something generic "Member {userid}" to users with zero messages and last activity > 12 months ago.
I don't want to remove emails, profile avatar, etc.

 

[Mr. Jinx]

Ah ok, seems like a different usecase.

 

[fords8]

Ah ok, seems like a different usecase.

I would just add some options to it if needed. Check if that would cover the needs of most people who use the addon. Even the 12 month thing could go back more.

 

[AndyB]

In my case, just need to replace the username to something generic "Member {userid}" to users with zero messages and last activity > 12 months ago.
I don't want to remove emails, profile avatar, etc.

You might like this add-on:

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/delete-users.6102/

It’s best to delete these accounts.

 

[foiovitor]

You might like this add-on:

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/delete-users.6102/

It’s best to delete these accounts.

Thank you @AndyB but I don't want to delete users.

Our community use real names only. We are a 25y old board, after all this years is difficult to new members to choose usernames because we have a large number of members with zero posts and no access for years that block this new members to choose more frequent names.

The intention is to randomise the old users but maintain the possibility that they came back one day and change the random name to a new one.