# Observation incorrectly listed as unknown

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observation-incorrectly-listed-as-unknown/72718>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Created:** [November 15, 2025, 8:58am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observation-incorrectly-listed-as-unknown/72718 "2025-11-15T08:58:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![schizoform](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/schizoform/32/3992_2.png) [@schizoform](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/schizoform)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 8:58am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observation-incorrectly-listed-as-unknown/72718/1 "2025-11-15T08:58:50Z")

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**Screenshots of what you are seeing** :

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/4/d/4db788651c9ce675d1539fc721d8ccc8af23eb4a.jpeg)

**Description of problem** :

I’m searching a project (VA Piedmont) for unknowns, and I am sometimes seeing species that have been IDed.

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**Author:** ![thebeachcomber](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/thebeachcomber/32/12748_2.png) [@thebeachcomber](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/thebeachcomber)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 9:09am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observation-incorrectly-listed-as-unknown/72718/2 "2025-11-15T09:09:37Z")

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there is no bug here

the observer has opted out of community ID, and they didn’t enter their own ID when they uploaded the record; until they add an ID, the record will remain as unknown

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**Author:** ![DianaStuder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dianastuder/32/43358_2.png) [@DianaStuder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DianaStuder)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 9:51am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observation-incorrectly-listed-as-unknown/72718/3 "2025-11-15T09:51:31Z")

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which is again why I would like Opted Out **displayed** up top - next to

Unknown and Needs ID.

Since the observer has decided they do _not_ need CID.

@schizoform you can mute the observer. Or pull up all their obs to Mark as Reviewed. Benefit of the doubt? Observer does not realise the effect, or what is intended for Opting Out. Do they ID for others ?

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**Author:** ![bouteloua](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/bouteloua/32/1180_2.png) [@bouteloua](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/bouteloua)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observation-incorrectly-listed-as-unknown/72718/4 "2025-12-09T14:00:26Z")

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Closed on December 9, 2025, 2:00pm UTC

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