Anyone else notice the lock symbol on a couple posts? Any ideas on the criteria and who is putting them on?
It looks like it is all posts in the Beyond the Manual category in that the category is locked. I’m guessing that means it is not currently viewable by everyone.
I agree though it looks like it may just be the warning and the symbol is a bit inaccurate, as even this post has it but we are responding on it.
The lock icon on a category title means that it has non-default access settings. This is a confusing icon, as it means something completely different (and more intuitive) on individual topics, where it means a topic is closed to further posting.
I’ve seen several posts on the Discourse support board about how confusing it is, but even after a few years of confusion they haven’t done anything to improve it.
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The lock occurs for a few reasons.
@dan has locked/closed the thread.
Only certain people can modify a thread/topic.
There is another cause, but it escapes me.
EDIT: Remebered, your forum level has granted you access to a restricted (lower levels not having access) to that category.
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Didn’t know that! I wondered why that category had a lock on it too. Thanks! 
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Can the public see it or owners only?
The" Beyond the manual" section is locked for new topics for me.
No the public can’t see it yet. (Just logged out and you can’t see it offered as a category.)
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If you tap/click on lock, all sorts of warnings about warranty violation possibility, etc…
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I can confirm that it locks the topic’s viewing away from non-owners. My non-GF-owning friend who wanted to know about lasering Balsa Foam isn’t able to see the topic anymore because he’s not an owner and it’s now on Beyond the Manual.
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OK, as designed then - for the time being that information is Owners-only. (We may change that later but Google has a long memory, so better to start constrained and expand!)
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