Clubhouse is now rolling out a protected profile setting to enable users to only make their full profile available to people they approve as followers, the company announced on Wednesday. The new protected profile setting is being implemented in response to Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine in an effort to keep users protected on the platform.
The New Protected Profile Setting is Launched in Response to Ukraine Crisis
“We’re grateful we’ve become a meeting place for people around the world to connect during this time, but we also know that times of conflict and upheaval make it increasingly important to be mindful of your presence online and what you share,” Clubhouse stated in a blog post about the announcement.
Users can toggle on the protected profile setting in the app’s options. Once users do that, they will be able to approve their followers. Clubhouse notes that only the followers will be able to see the rooms, clubs, and replays on the profile. The protected profile setting further makes you less observable on Clubhouse in general. The firm says that users you haven’t consented to as followers won’t be able to see when you’re online and Clubhouse won’t recommend that people you don’t know follow you.
Clubhouse has Become a Platform for Anti-War Russian Civilians to Correspond
The new protected profile setting comes as Clubhouse has become a platform for anti-war Russian civilians to correspond, but is also home to Russian propaganda. Russia has blocked Instagram and Facebook, which has driven people in the country to find different ways to communicate, one of them being Clubhouse. Furthermore, Clubhouse also supplied tips on how users can protect themselves on social audio platforms during times of conflict.
Clubhouse also notes that although it has turned its Replay feature, which enables users to record audio, off by default for users in Ukraine, people can still use third-party apps or gadgets to record and share content without consent. Clubhouse is further urging users to be cautious about the information they are sharing both verbally and via their profiles.
Read more: Clubhouse Launches a New Replay Feature to Let Users Record Live Rooms
