diff --git a/packages/backend/migration/1683683083083-public-reactions-default-true.js b/packages/backend/migration/1683683083083-public-reactions-default-true.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..195ea02a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend/migration/1683683083083-public-reactions-default-true.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+export class PublicReactionsDefaultTrue1683683083083 {
+    name = 'PublicReactionsDefaultTrue1683683083083'
+
+    async up(queryRunner) {
+        await queryRunner.query(`ALTER TABLE "user_profile" ALTER COLUMN "publicReactions" SET DEFAULT true`);
+    }
+
+    async down(queryRunner) {
+        await queryRunner.query(`ALTER TABLE "user_profile" ALTER COLUMN "publicReactions" SET DEFAULT false`);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/models/entities/UserProfile.ts b/packages/backend/src/models/entities/UserProfile.ts
index 6eab846c1..2cebc5609 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/models/entities/UserProfile.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/models/entities/UserProfile.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export class UserProfile {
 	public emailNotificationTypes: string[];
 
 	@Column('boolean', {
-		default: false,
+		default: true,
 	})
 	public publicReactions: boolean;