How Do You Balance Public vs. Private Content on Websites?

Hey everyone,
When you’re building a website, how do you figure out what should be shown to the public and what needs to stay hidden by default? I’m asking because it can impact things like user onboarding, security, and even keeping bots out. Do you have a rule of thumb for this, or is it more of a “figure it out as you go” kind of thing?

Some big names are all over the place with their approach:

  • Twitter: You need to log in to see anything.
  • Instagram: You can peek at a few things before they ask for a login.
  • Airbnb: Browsing is fine, but they’ll ask for login details when you’re ready to book.
  • Pinterest: Used to make you log in right away, but they’ve eased up.
  • NexusMods: No login needed unless you’re downloading stuff or checking out restricted content.

I’m curious to hear how you guys handle this. Any tips?

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I don’t have a strict rule for this stuff; it’s usually on a case-by-case basis. It depends on the project goals and the type of content you’re dealing with. For example, if it’s a community-focused site, I’d probably hide more features to encourage sign-ups. But for blogs or portfolios, I’d leave most stuff public to avoid annoying visitors.

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I like to start with privacy and security as a priority. If sensitive data is involved, like user-generated content or anything that could be abused by bots, I keep it behind a login wall. Anything that doesn’t compromise user privacy is fair game for public viewing. It’s about finding that sweet spot.

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For me, UX comes first, followed by security. If making someone sign up too early in the process kills the flow, I push login requirements further down the funnel. I’m building trust first and asking for details later.

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I kinda just follow what the big platforms do. If Pinterest and Instagram let users browse a bit before asking for a login, that’s probably the way to go. These platforms have likely done the research and A/B testing, so why not take a hint from them?

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I lean toward locking down more features by default, just for security reasons. If someone’s serious about your content, they’ll create an account eventually. Better to be safe than sorry, especially with bots and scraping getting smarter every day.