When you create an interactive list, document library, or survey, you have control over the access to the information. You can control which items site visitors can read or edit, and whether they can change the design of the list, document library, or survey.
Note The following permission settings apply to site visitors who have explicit site-wide permission to read or edit content. If your web site can be accessed anonymously, these settings apply to anonymous users only if you grant them rights greater than the Browser role. Users with Administrator role can read and edit all content, regardless of the permission settings of a particular list, document library, or survey.
For example, you can set security settings as follows:
Example of security settings for a read-only list of events
If you are managing a schedule for a project, you might want to be the only one who can add or edit items, although you would want all site visitors to be able to view all the items. The security settings for such an events list would be:
Example of security settings for a list of contacts
In a list of contacts, you might want all site visitors to be able to read and update all the items. The security settings for such a list would be:
Example of security settings for a discussion board
In a discussion board, you probably want all site visitors to be able to read all the comments, but you don't want them to be able to edit each other's comments. The security settings for such a discussion board would be:
Example of security settings for a document library
In a document library, you might want site visitors to be able to add their own custom properties so that they can store information that you hadn't anticipated when you created the document library. The security setting for such a document library would be:
Note Site visitors must have Advanced Author or higher role to modify the design of a list, document library, discussion board, or survey.
Permissions are hierarchical. That is, if you give site visitors permission to edit all items, you have also given them permission to read all items. Similarly, if you give all site visitors permission to modify columns and views, you have given them permission to read and edit all items.