Why do people make their Yahoo Answers profiles private? What's to gain from that privacy in a practically anonymous format?

To make it harder for triggered report monkeys who go through and have your answers and questions removed.

Some people do that to Protect them Self's from being Targeted some people will go through other people's Profiles and Mass Report Every Single one of there Questions and or Answers

To reduce stalkers and trolls from being able to easily harass them and report their posts

It helps to ward off stalkers and malicious false reporters.

I done it because some boobs go "I just looked at your questions and they're stupid" instead of answering my question. It doesn't matter if I was being stupid the other day, this question could be serious. Although if someone adds me and then I add them back, I think they can see my questions but they're not the sort to do what I just described or they wouldn't be on my list.

Because there are certain people who go through your history and report everything. I have had it happen to me.

some are downright cowards who then block those who have correct answers; others are ??

They don't people to see their history

Some trolls abuse the report button by reporting questions or answers from users they target/don't like.

SMH