diff --git a/fedireads/forms.py b/fedireads/forms.py
index 0dd5f4d67..34a7802b5 100644
--- a/fedireads/forms.py
+++ b/fedireads/forms.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class CommentForm(ModelForm):
 class EditUserForm(ModelForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.User
-        fields = ['avatar', 'name', 'summary']
+        fields = ['avatar', 'name', 'summary', 'manually_approves_followers']
         help_texts = {f: None for f in fields}
 
 
diff --git a/fedireads/incoming.py b/fedireads/incoming.py
index 22a701e30..baaedd056 100644
--- a/fedireads/incoming.py
+++ b/fedireads/incoming.py
@@ -214,7 +214,8 @@ def handle_incoming_follow(activity):
         return HttpResponse()
 
     create_notification(to_follow, 'FOLLOW', related_user=user)
-    outgoing.handle_outgoing_accept(user, to_follow, activity)
+    if not to_follow.manually_approves_followers:
+        outgoing.handle_outgoing_accept(user, to_follow, activity)
     return HttpResponse()
 
 
diff --git a/fedireads/migrations/0013_user_manually_approves_followers.py b/fedireads/migrations/0013_user_manually_approves_followers.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c94aaed9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fedireads/migrations/0013_user_manually_approves_followers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.0.3 on 2020-03-09 20:09
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('fedireads', '0012_auto_20200308_1625'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='user',
+            name='manually_approves_followers',
+            field=models.BooleanField(default=False),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/fedireads/models/user.py b/fedireads/models/user.py
index 292a79062..23df60bed 100644
--- a/fedireads/models/user.py
+++ b/fedireads/models/user.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
     )
     created_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
     updated_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
+    manually_approves_followers = models.BooleanField(default=False)
 
     @property
     def absolute_id(self):
diff --git a/fedireads/view_actions.py b/fedireads/view_actions.py
index eb8e5f477..5aa2c8add 100644
--- a/fedireads/view_actions.py
+++ b/fedireads/view_actions.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ def edit_profile(request):
     if 'avatar' in form.files:
         request.user.avatar = form.files['avatar']
     request.user.summary = form.data['summary']
+    request.user.manually_approves_followers = form.cleaned_data['manually_approves_followers']
     request.user.save()
     return redirect('/user/%s' % request.user.localname)
 
diff --git a/fedireads/views.py b/fedireads/views.py
index e1d23f2e0..b357cc11d 100644
--- a/fedireads/views.py
+++ b/fedireads/views.py
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ def notifications_page(request):
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'notifications.html', data)
 
 
-@login_required
 def user_page(request, username):
     ''' profile page for a user '''
     content = request.headers.get('Accept')