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This PSE question is now closed for being a duplicate. This means that no one (less than 10k rep?/no unprotect priv.) can answer. The purpose of "protect question" is to "Protect this question if it is highly active and likely to receive spam activity or non-answers. Anonymous and low reputation users can’t answer protected questions."

However, the "protect question" dialogue/button is available even though the question is closed - I just clicked (then unclicked) this button and the question went into protect mode. So my question is, is there anything more this action does apart from preventing anon/low reputation users from answering? Or could it just be something the developers haven't got around to fixing if it needs to be?

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The Protect / Unprotect privilege is at 15k, but Open / Close is only 3k. It may be desirable to protect a closed question, in case it gets reopened.

Also, people may be less inclined to cast a reopen vote on a protected question.

FWIW, the usual Protected banner is hidden on closed questions, but it re-appears if the question is re-opened, according to Don't display "protected" notice if the question is locked or closed

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  • $\begingroup$ So protecting a closed question prevents it from being reopened. Thanks. $\endgroup$
    – joseph h
    Commented Feb 3, 2023 at 6:54
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    $\begingroup$ @josephh I didn't say that! People can vote to reopen a protected question, but they need 15k to unprotect it. $\endgroup$
    – PM 2Ring
    Commented Feb 3, 2023 at 8:18
  • $\begingroup$ Okay I see. So the "protected" status remains even if the question is re-opened. Also, the "protect question" appears even if the question is closed (it certainly is for the question I linked). The OP in the question you linked states "The "protected" box should be hidden when it is not possible to add additional answers to the question ... when the question is locked or closed. If the question is unlocked or reopened, it should be shown again. He says it should be hidden meaning it isn't which is what prompted my original question. Thanks for your time and input PM. Cheers. $\endgroup$
    – joseph h
    Commented Feb 3, 2023 at 19:59

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