diff --git a/docs/changelog/6.x.x.txt b/docs/changelog/6.x.x.txt
index 2d7954281..dc3b64f81 100644
--- a/docs/changelog/6.x.x.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog/6.x.x.txt
@@ -93,5 +93,5 @@ webgui.
    the distribution. If you need those old upgrades you can still get them 
    from previous distributions or th 5.5 branch in CVS.
  - Added Job Listing templates to the USS.
-
+ - Added a view privileges setting to each forum.
 
diff --git a/docs/upgrades/upgrade_5.9.9-6.0.0.sql b/docs/upgrades/upgrade_5.9.9-6.0.0.sql
index 261bb1f5a..c96921ae8 100644
--- a/docs/upgrades/upgrade_5.9.9-6.0.0.sql
+++ b/docs/upgrades/upgrade_5.9.9-6.0.0.sql
@@ -681,4 +681,5 @@ INSERT INTO help VALUES (80,'WebGUI',1087,1088,'58,WebGUI;81,WebGUI;79,WebGUI;')
 INSERT INTO help VALUES (81,'WebGUI',1089,1090,'58,WebGUI;79,WebGUI;80,WebGUI;50,WebGUI;');
 INSERT INTO template VALUES (8,'Synopsis','<div class=\"synopsis\">\r\n<tmpl_loop page_loop>\r\n   <div class=\"synopsis_title\">\r\n      <a href=\"<tmpl_var page.url>\"><tmpl_var page.menuTitle></a>\r\n   </div>\r\n   <tmpl_if page.indent>\r\n      <div class=\"synopsis_sub\">\r\n         <tmpl_var page.synopsis>\r\n      </div>\r\n   <tmpl_else>\r\n      <div class=\"synopsis_summary\">\r\n         <tmpl_var page.synopsis>\r\n      </div>\r\n   </tmpl_if>\r\n</tmpl_loop>\r\n</div>','Navigation',1,1);
 INSERT INTO Navigation VALUES (18,'Synopsis',99,'self_and_descendants','current',-1,8,0,0,0,0);
+alter table forum add column groupToView int not null default 7;
 
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Forum.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Forum.pm
index 7e21da0c8..818ad38f9 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Forum.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Forum.pm
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ Data management class for forums.
  $forum = WebGUI::Forum->new($forumId);
 
  $boolean = $forum->canPost;
+ $boolean = $forum->canView;
  $scalar = $forum->get($param);
  $obj = $forum->getThread($threadId);
  $boolean = $forum->isModerator;
@@ -79,7 +80,29 @@ Defaults to $session{user}{userId}. Specify a user ID to check privileges for.
 sub canPost {
         my ($self, $userId) = @_;
         $userId = $session{user}{userId} unless ($userId);
-        return WebGUI::Privilege::isInGroup($self->get("groupToPost"));
+        return (WebGUI::Privilege::isInGroup($self->get("groupToPost"),$userId) || $self->isModerator);
+}
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 canView ( [ userId ] )
+
+Returns a boolean whether the user has the privileges required to view the forum.
+
+=over
+
+=item userId
+
+Defaults to $session{user}{userId}. Specify a user ID to check privileges for.
+
+=back
+
+=cut
+
+sub canView {
+        my ($self, $userId) = @_;
+        $userId = $session{user}{userId} unless ($userId);
+        return (WebGUI::Privilege::isInGroup($self->get("groupToView"),$userId) || $self->canPost);
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Forum/UI.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Forum/UI.pm
index 890bbb004..3b1f50e60 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Forum/UI.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Forum/UI.pm
@@ -916,6 +916,12 @@ sub forumProperties {
 			-value=>($forum->get("karmaPerPost") || 0)
 			);
         }
+        $f->group(
+                -name=>"groupToView",
+                -label=>WebGUI::International::get(872),
+                -value=>[$forum->get("groupToView")],
+                -uiLevel=>5
+                );
         $f->group(
                 -name=>"groupToPost",
                 -label=>WebGUI::International::get(564),
@@ -962,6 +968,7 @@ sub forumPropertiesSave {
 		filterPosts=>$session{form}{filterPosts},
 		postsPerPage=>$session{form}{postsPerPage},
 		karmaPerPost=>$session{form}{karmaPerPost},
+		groupToView=>$session{form}{groupToView},
 		groupToPost=>$session{form}{groupToPost},
 		moderatePosts=>$session{form}{moderatePosts},
 		groupToModerate=>$session{form}{groupToModerate}
@@ -2270,6 +2277,7 @@ sub www_viewForum {
 	WebGUI::Session::setScratch("forumSortBy",$session{form}{sortBy});
 	$forumId = $session{form}{forumId} unless ($forumId);
 	my $forum = WebGUI::Forum->new($forumId);
+	return WebGUI::Privilege::insufficient() unless ($forum->canView);
 	my $var = getForumTemplateVars($caller, $forum);
 	return WebGUI::Template::process(WebGUI::Template::get($forum->get("forumTemplateId"),"Forum"), $var); 
 }	
@@ -2299,6 +2307,7 @@ sub www_viewThread {
 	WebGUI::Session::setScratch("forumThreadLayout",$session{form}{layout});
 	$postId = $session{form}{forumPostId} unless ($postId);
         my $post = WebGUI::Forum::Post->new($postId);
+	return WebGUI::Privilege::insufficient() unless ($post->getThread->getForum->canView);
 	my $var = getThreadTemplateVars($caller, $post);
 	if ($post->get("forumPostId") == $post->getThread->get("rootPostId") && !$post->canView) {
 		return www_viewForum($caller, $post->getThread->getForum->get("forumId"));
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Wobject/MessageBoard.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Wobject/MessageBoard.pm
index 273a687da..213b7348c 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Wobject/MessageBoard.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Wobject/MessageBoard.pm
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ sub www_view {
 			}
 		} else {
 			my $forum = WebGUI::Forum->new($forumMeta->{forumId});
+			next unless ($forum->canView);
 			if ($count == 1) {
 				$var{'default.listing'} = WebGUI::Forum::UI::www_viewForum({
 					callback=>$callback,