When your Audience members share a link to a Story Page hosted on Cerkl Broadcast, the person receiving that link may or may not have permission to view the content. Broadcast handles these shared links securely while giving eligible subscribers a simple way to access the Story.
This article explains what happens when a Story Page link is shared, what recipients experience, and how your audience targeting affects who can ultimately view the content.
For information about ways for your team to share Content, please check out:
'Sharing Content with a Public Link' and 'Content Distribution Settings - Social Advocacy'.
What happens when someone shares a Story Page link?
Your audience can share the URL in the web browser address bar when reading the story. This will look similar to this format:
https://app.cerkl.com/org/story.php?id=23116677
A shared Story Page link does not automatically give the recipient access to the content.
When someone opens the link, Broadcast checks whether it can confidently identify the viewer and determine that they have access to the Story. If Broadcast can verify the viewer and their access, they can continue to the Story.
If Broadcast cannot confidently identify the viewer, they will be asked to verify their identity.
Verifying Identity
An unidentified viewer is shown a Verify Your Identity page where they can enter their email address. To protect your organization and subscribers, this page does not reveal identifying information.
For security and privacy, Broadcast does not tell the viewer whether the email address was recognized or whether the Story exists. If the viewer entered their email incorrectly, they can edit the address and submit it again.
A personalized access email is sent only when all of the following are true:
The Story still exists.
The email address is recognized by Broadcast.
The person is a Subscriber in the organization that owns the Story.
The Subscriber is eligible to view that Story based on its audience targeting.
When all of these conditions are met, the Subscriber receives an email containing a personalized Story link. Opening that link automatically identifies the Subscriber and gives them access to the Story.
How audience targeting affects shared links
Targeting still matters after publication. Subscribers can share Story links, but this does not make restricted content available to people outside the intended audience.
For example, imagine you publish a Story targeted only to your organization's Managers. A Manager copies the Story Page URL and sends it to another employee who was not included in that audience.
Even though the employee has the URL, the shared link does not override your targeting. If they are not eligible for the Story, they will not gain access simply because another Subscriber shared the link.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Subscriber give someone access just by sharing a Story URL?
No. Sharing the URL does not change the Story's audience or grant additional permissions. The recipient must still be eligible to view the Story.
Why doesn't the verification page tell someone that they don't have access?
Displaying that information could reveal details about your organization, its Subscribers, or restricted content. Broadcast therefore uses the same generic response regardless of the result of the access check.
What if someone enters an email address that Broadcast doesn't recognize?
They still see the standard confirmation message, but they will not receive a Story access link.
What if the person belongs to Broadcast but isn't a Subscriber in my organization?
They will not receive access to the Story. Story access is evaluated within the organization that owns the content.
Does this change who can see my Story?
No. This feature changes how Broadcast handles shared links and unidentified viewers. Your Story's audience targeting continues to determine who is eligible to view the content.