diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/interface.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/interface.hbs
index e53cd172c2c..d51e6de26fc 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/interface.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/interface.hbs
@@ -135,7 +135,9 @@
   {{#if siteSettings.automatically_unpin_topics}}
     {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.automatically_unpin_topics" checked=model.user_option.automatically_unpin_topics  class="pref-auto-unpin"}}
   {{/if}}
-  {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.hide_profile_and_presence" checked=model.user_option.hide_profile_and_presence  class="pref-hide-profile"}}
+  {{#if siteSettings.allow_users_to_hide_profile}}
+    {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.hide_profile_and_presence" checked=model.user_option.hide_profile_and_presence  class="pref-hide-profile"}}
+  {{/if}}
   {{#if isiPad}}
     {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.enable_physical_keyboard" checked=disableSafariHacks  class="pref-safari-hacks"}}
   {{/if}}
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 1cbf744a1bb..d885ac331ee 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -2029,6 +2029,7 @@ en:
     anonymous_account_duration_minutes: "To protect anonymity create a new anonymous account every N minutes for each user. Example: if set to 600, as soon as 600 minutes elapse from last post AND user switches to anon, a new anonymous account is created."
 
     hide_user_profiles_from_public: "Disable user cards, user profiles and user directory for anonymous users."
+    allow_users_to_hide_profile: "Allow users to hide their profile and presence"
 
     allow_featured_topic_on_user_profiles: "Allow users to feature a link to a topic on their user card and profile."
 
diff --git a/config/site_settings.yml b/config/site_settings.yml
index d78463c1254..f15a0577f90 100644
--- a/config/site_settings.yml
+++ b/config/site_settings.yml
@@ -601,6 +601,9 @@ users:
   anonymous_account_duration_minutes:
     default: 10080
     max: 99000
+  allow_users_to_hide_profile:
+    default: true
+    client: true
   hide_user_profiles_from_public:
     default: false
     client: true
diff --git a/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb b/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb
index 6e2ccdb03cd..a133e82f188 100644
--- a/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb
+++ b/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ module UserGuardian
 
   def can_see_profile?(user)
     return false if user.blank?
+    return true if !SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile?
 
     # If a user has hidden their profile, restrict it to them and staff
     if user.user_option.try(:hide_profile_and_presence?)
diff --git a/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/presence.js.es6 b/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/presence.js.es6
index da8b7ef97c5..aa070d68aba 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/presence.js.es6
+++ b/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/presence.js.es6
@@ -102,7 +102,18 @@ const Presence = EmberObject.extend({
   },
 
   publish(state, whisper, postId, staffOnly) {
-    if (this.get("currentUser.hide_profile_and_presence")) {
+    // NOTE: `user_option` is the correct place to get this value from, but
+    //       it may not have been set yet. It will always have been set directly
+    //       on the currentUser, via the preloaded_json payload.
+    // TODO: Remove this when preloaded_json is refactored.
+    let hiddenProfile = this.get(
+      "currentUser.user_option.hide_profile_and_presence"
+    );
+    if (hiddenProfile === undefined) {
+      hiddenProfile = this.get("currentUser.hide_profile_and_presence");
+    }
+
+    if (hiddenProfile && this.get("siteSettings.allow_users_to_hide_profile")) {
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb b/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb
index de6a3e0fd9b..34eb3429860 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb
+++ b/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb
@@ -155,7 +155,8 @@ after_initialize do
 
     def ensure_presence_enabled
       if !SiteSetting.presence_enabled ||
-         current_user.user_option.hide_profile_and_presence?
+         (SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile &&
+          current_user.user_option.hide_profile_and_presence?)
 
         raise Discourse::NotFound
       end
diff --git a/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb b/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb
index b18d731b9b8..8df3086aef8 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,15 @@ describe ::Presence::PresencesController do
         expect(response.status).to eq(404)
       end
 
+      it 'returns the right response when user disables the presence feature and allow_users_to_hide_profile is disabled' do
+        user.user_option.update_column(:hide_profile_and_presence, true)
+        SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+
+        post '/presence/publish.json', params: { topic_id: public_topic.id, state: 'replying' }
+
+        expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+      end
+
       it 'returns the right response when the presence site settings is disabled' do
         SiteSetting.presence_enabled = false
 
diff --git a/spec/components/guardian/user_guardian_spec.rb b/spec/components/guardian/user_guardian_spec.rb
index 04c34a18b0f..fc516cf70d6 100644
--- a/spec/components/guardian/user_guardian_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/guardian/user_guardian_spec.rb
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ describe UserGuardian do
         expect(Guardian.new(admin).can_see_profile?(hidden_user)).to eq(true)
       end
 
+      it "is true if hiding profiles is disabled" do
+        SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+        expect(Guardian.new(user).can_see_profile?(hidden_user)).to eq(true)
+      end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb
index 954765e46fc..a7db647bd87 100644
--- a/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb
@@ -603,10 +603,23 @@ RSpec.describe ListController do
       expect(json["topic_list"]["topics"].size).to eq(2)
     end
 
-    it "returns 404 if `hide_profile_and_presence` user option is checked" do
-      user.user_option.update_columns(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
-      get "/topics/created-by/#{user.username}.json"
-      expect(response.status).to eq(404)
+    context 'when `hide_profile_and_presence` is true' do
+      before do
+        user.user_option.update_columns(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
+      end
+
+      it "returns 404" do
+        get "/topics/created-by/#{user.username}.json"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(404)
+      end
+
+      it "should respond with a list when `allow_users_to_hide_profile` is false" do
+        SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+        get "/topics/created-by/#{user.username}.json"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+        json = response.parsed_body
+        expect(json["topic_list"]["topics"].size).to eq(2)
+      end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/posts_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/posts_controller_spec.rb
index 486fa21498d..20b2488343d 100644
--- a/spec/requests/posts_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/posts_controller_spec.rb
@@ -1752,6 +1752,17 @@ describe PostsController do
       get "/u/#{user.username}/activity.json"
       expect(response.status).to eq(404)
     end
+
+    it "succeeds when `allow_users_to_hide_profile` is false" do
+      user.user_option.update_columns(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
+      SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+
+      get "/u/#{user.username}/activity.rss"
+      expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+
+      get "/u/#{user.username}/activity.json"
+      expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#latest' do
diff --git a/spec/requests/user_actions_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/user_actions_controller_spec.rb
index d0d04ad660f..a12af23d6a8 100644
--- a/spec/requests/user_actions_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/user_actions_controller_spec.rb
@@ -10,15 +10,6 @@ describe UserActionsController do
       expect(response.status).to eq(400)
     end
 
-    it "returns a 404 for a user with a hidden profile" do
-      UserActionManager.enable
-      post = Fabricate(:post)
-      post.user.user_option.update_column(:hide_profile_and_presence, true)
-
-      get "/user_actions.json", params: { username: post.user.username }
-      expect(response.code).to eq("404")
-    end
-
     it 'renders list correctly' do
       UserActionManager.enable
       post = create_post
@@ -88,5 +79,25 @@ describe UserActionsController do
       expect(parsed["no_results_help"]).to eq(I18n.t("user_activity.no_bookmarks.others"))
     end
 
+    context 'hidden profiles' do
+      fab!(:post) { Fabricate(:post) }
+
+      before do
+        UserActionManager.enable
+        post.user.user_option.update_column(:hide_profile_and_presence, true)
+      end
+
+      it "returns a 404" do
+        get "/user_actions.json", params: { username: post.user.username }
+        expect(response.code).to eq("404")
+      end
+
+      it "succeeds when `allow_users_to_hide_profile` is false" do
+        SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+        get "/user_actions.json", params: { username: post.user.username }
+        expect(response.code).to eq("200")
+      end
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/requests/user_badges_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/user_badges_controller_spec.rb
index 0adf411f1a4..14c47d68b87 100644
--- a/spec/requests/user_badges_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/user_badges_controller_spec.rb
@@ -44,13 +44,6 @@ describe UserBadgesController do
       expect(parsed["user_badges"].length).to eq(1)
     end
 
-    it "returns 404 if `hide_profile_and_presence` user option is checked" do
-      user.user_option.update_columns(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
-
-      get "/user-badges/#{user.username}.json"
-      expect(response.status).to eq(404)
-    end
-
     it 'returns user_badges for a user with period in username' do
       user.update!(username: "myname.test")
       get "/user-badges/#{user.username}", xhr: true
@@ -77,6 +70,24 @@ describe UserBadgesController do
       parsed = response.parsed_body
       expect(parsed["user_badges"].first.has_key?('count')).to eq(true)
     end
+
+    context 'hidden profiles' do
+      before do
+        user.user_option.update_columns(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
+      end
+
+      it "returns 404 if `hide_profile_and_presence` user option is checked" do
+        get "/user-badges/#{user.username}.json"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(404)
+      end
+
+      it "returns user_badges if `allow_users_to_hide_profile` is false" do
+        SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+
+        get "/user-badges/#{user.username}.json"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   context 'create' do
diff --git a/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb
index 1358355dd86..2909b35fda9 100644
--- a/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb
@@ -2868,12 +2868,24 @@ describe UsersController do
       expect(json["user_summary"]["post_count"]).to eq(0)
     end
 
-    it "returns 404 for a hidden profile" do
-      user = Fabricate(:user)
-      user.user_option.update_column(:hide_profile_and_presence, true)
+    context '`hide_profile_and_presence` user option is checked' do
+      fab!(:user) { Fabricate(:user) }
 
-      get "/u/#{user.username_lower}/summary.json"
-      expect(response.status).to eq(404)
+      before do
+        user.user_option.update_columns(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
+      end
+
+      it "returns 404" do
+        get "/u/#{user.username_lower}/summary.json"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(404)
+      end
+
+      it "returns summary info if `allow_users_to_hide_profile` is false" do
+        SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+
+        get "/u/#{user.username_lower}/summary.json"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -3353,13 +3365,28 @@ describe UsersController do
       expect(response).to redirect_to '/login'
     end
 
-    it "does not include hidden profiles" do
-      user2.user_option.update(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
-      get "/user-cards.json?user_ids=#{user.id},#{user2.id}"
-      expect(response.status).to eq(200)
-      parsed = response.parsed_body["users"]
+    context '`hide_profile_and_presence` user option is checked' do
+      before do
+        user2.user_option.update_columns(hide_profile_and_presence: true)
+      end
 
-      expect(parsed.map { |u| u["username"] }).to contain_exactly(user.username)
+      it "does not include hidden profiles" do
+        get "/user-cards.json?user_ids=#{user.id},#{user2.id}"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+        parsed = response.parsed_body["users"]
+
+        expect(parsed.map { |u| u["username"] }).to contain_exactly(user.username)
+      end
+
+      it "does include hidden profiles when `allow_users_to_hide_profile` is false" do
+        SiteSetting.allow_users_to_hide_profile = false
+
+        get "/user-cards.json?user_ids=#{user.id},#{user2.id}"
+        expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+        parsed = response.parsed_body["users"]
+
+        expect(parsed.map { |u| u["username"] }).to contain_exactly(user.username, user2.username)
+      end
     end
   end