Forums » Suggestions & Development Discussion » Group leadership transfer

Group leaders should be allowed to transfer leadership to another user(If this hasn't been done before.), especially if they plan on taking temporary leadership, to protect the group's interests(Especially if there's a usurper in the group, so the usurper can't hyjack the group and make chances to only serve their purpose, while putting the rest of the group's members/moderators/etc in a bad situation, or even kicking them for unfair reasons.), in cases such as the group's original founder's account winds up deleted by a non-user(As in someone that DOES NOT have a account here.), who, somehow, gains access to the account. The ideal would allow transfering leadership back to the original founder's new account, when they get it.

I appreciate your concern, but the scenario you described does not seem very realistic to me. A few things:

1. Deleting an account requires knowing the account's password. The site has NOT been hacked. The situation you described is massively unlikely unless the user chose an incredibly simple, easy to guess password, or else willingly gave the password to someone else.
2. If something like that actually happened and could be proved, the moderators could (and should) be contacted for assistance. If you believe the site has been hacked, for goodness sake report it so we can investigate and either close the security breach and return power to the rightful people, OR soothe your fears that it did not, in fact, happen. It has not happened yet, btw.
3. Assuming something more normal happened, like the founder deciding to delete their account for more mundane reasons like wanting a new account with a different name, the group enters what is called "Sword in the Stone" mode. Responsibility for the group is offered first to those the group founder has given status to, such as by making them editors or moderators of the group. The responsibility for running the group is only offered to all members if the founder has not picked any deputies. Since the majority of groups do share in the responsibilities of running themselves with multiple members, most groups enjoy protection from "just anyone" becoming the successor.
4. If there's someone in a group that behaves this poorly toward others, why are they allowed to stay in the group at all? The group founder or moderators should let the person know how their behavior is unacceptable, or show them the door. Please see also this.
5. Assuming your usurper DID take power, why would they willingly transfer control back to anyone?

But, to address the suggestion:

If you currently have the power of foundership in a group, it's possible to offer the leadership role of a group to any group member.

Go to Dashboard and click the pencil next to the name of the group you want to transfer. Then go to Settings > Founder options on the menu in the sidebar (or at the bottom of the page if on mobile)

There's a section labeled "Retire as Founder" with a link that says "Click here to transfer control of the group to another member". Click it and follow the on-screen instructions, and the member will be asked to accept or decline control of the group.

I sent these instructions to you in reply to the PM you sent, as well.