Useful Links

Amethyst · 07-17-2010, 08:31 AM

Sometimes, posters complain about people who use avatars on the Internet, instead of the person's photo (though how one could tell it's their "actual" photo, is a mystery to me).

Can see why a fake photo or avatar would be wrong and unfair on a dating site, but can't understand why it would matter on ER forum, Facebook, etc.

Avatars (IMHO) say more about posters than a picture of their face does. All my face tells the world, is the things that don't matter: my age, sex, race, hair color, eye color, a guess as to my weight, the way my hair grows and the way I choose to have it cut. Possibly, the condition of my front teeth. Why would anyone (who isn't looking to date me) care about those things, when the real "me" is in my posts?

Thoughts?

Amethyst

happy2bretired · 07-17-2010, 08:35 AM

I'm perfectly happy showing my face...see my pert little ears and hairy face.

I'm too shy to show my face and I like to think I'm also too smart.

RonBoyd · 07-17-2010, 08:52 AM

It's what I see when looking in a mirror... certainly it's the way I feel.

KM · 07-17-2010, 09:03 AM

Interesting....when I see a picture of someone as their avatar - I immediately assume it is not them. Not sure why, I guess it is because every other site I am on, no one uses their own picture.

Now that I am posting more, I have considered putting an avatar out there, only because I think it helps people "recognize" you quicker. But it won't be a picture of me.

My kids say I am "old-fashioned", but I am not big fan of plastering my picture all over the internet. What if one of you is an axe-murderer or something

You would know what I looked like. And if I made you mad, instead of using IGNORE, you could hunt me down and kill me!!

LOL! · 07-17-2010, 09:08 AM

I use photos, usernames, and avatars to mislead and misdirect. I've never seen a rule that says there are rules about these things, except of course unless you are trying to create a brand and market yourself.

calmloki · 07-17-2010, 09:10 AM

Think an avatar can represent one's reality in ways an actual photo cannot.

winger · 07-17-2010, 09:18 AM

Avatars are fine on an anonymous site such as this forum. I might add one someday...

Facebook is not an anonymous site. You use your real name, and for the most part you only communicate with former or present friends, co-workers and family. You can control who sees your information... although that isn't always as easy as it should be.

Can't speak fo everyone but I often get emails or notifications that say "Sherri (Jones) McBride wants to be your friend. Confirm?"

Looking at school, working life and now ER travel, I have met more than a few people. Sometimes, they have the same names! Or I never knew the last name, or the real name.

A picture would help. An avatar that shows me what you are about.. doesn't help.

And, if you can't take the time to post a picture, I'm not sure how serious you really are about all this. You invest a little time, and so will I.

Bestwifeever · 07-17-2010, 10:04 AM

I like my privacy (like anyone cares who I am, really!) and would not provide much identifying information publicly here or elsewhere. I don't know if young people feel the same way.

If I did Facebook, though, I would definitely use a (really really good

) current photo of myself (so my old boyfriends would be eating their hearts out)--don't people do Facebook mostly because they want to connect/reconnect with people?

I also think someone who is really smart could figure out who many people are by the fictitious info used combined with minor factual details/photos of locations, pets, etc. in their posts.

Moemg · 07-17-2010, 10:11 AM

I do not mind posting an occasional picture of myself but I would not have a picture avatar . We discuss too many financial facts . That I like to keep private . Now that bestwifeever mentioned facebook I'm going to have too look for a much better picture .

Khan · 07-17-2010, 10:22 AM

My pictures are here and elsewhere.
I like "Khan".
He's been my persona/avatar from way back.

bbbamI · 07-17-2010, 10:49 AM

I like avatars that show a member's face...kind of makes their posts more intimate and credible.

Now it better really be them, otherwise if they meet another forum member, the jig is up. I have one of my favorite pics of myself on my profile page...the lighting was low and the make-up was high.

Amethyst · 07-17-2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger

Facebook is not an anonymous site. You use your real name, and for the most part you only communicate with former or present friends, co-workers and family. You can control who sees your information... although that isn't always as easy as it should be..

This is why I use weekly-changing avatars on Facebook. My facebook friends are close relatives, and people I've known for years. They know what I look like and don't care, so long as I have not grown an extra head (they would want to see a picture of that).

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger

And, if you can't take the time to post a picture, I'm not sure how serious you really are about all this. You invest a little time, and so will I.

Umm...I don't understand this statement, although I parsed it several times. Care to elaborate? Serious about what? Time to do what? (I do hope this isn't one of those "If you don't know, I'm certainly not going to tell you" moments, with which I am so drearily familiar in life).

Amethyst

Amethyst

haha · 07-17-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bestwifeever

I also think someone who is really smart could figure out who many people are by the fictitious info used combined with minor factual details/photos of locations, pets, etc. in their posts.

This is probably true. But posts with none except very abstract background are not particularly interesting. If I know the city where someone lives, I can visualize something of their reality. Without that what they say just drifts away into the ether.

Ha

NW-Bound · 07-17-2010, 11:03 AM

I have hinted several times that I look like Steve McQueen. :-)

OK, enough BS'ing. I was reluctant to post pictures of even my houses and RV. What if one of my neighbors happens to frequent this forum? They would then know more about my financial situation, my w*rk, my life than even my siblings did.

And then, as I still do w*rk for pay, people I am in contact with might also know more about me than I want them to know.

By the way, do people even remember what McQueen looked like?

PS. I have no Facebook account, and am not interested. Being a loner through schools, I had only a few friends, and I still had contact with them. I remember little about other classmates, and would have little in common with them now. Hence, no need for Facebook.

Amethyst · 07-17-2010, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound

By the way, do people even remember what McQueen looked like?

When I was a little girl, I had crushes on every handsome blond actor, especially the tall ones (though I made an exception for Paul Newman) and he was among the pack. I lost interest after he started looking rather weather-worn, though.

Amethyst

NW-Bound · 07-17-2010, 11:14 AM

McQueen's height is still a matter of debate.

Still, it does not matter. I just want to be as "cool". Weather-worn is OK. He died when at about my age now. :-)

And I am not tall either. I am skinny, and that is the truth. :-)

PS. And I have dark hair. :-)

Dawg52 · 07-17-2010, 11:15 AM

Trust me, my dog is much better looking than me.

Amethyst · 07-17-2010, 11:21 AM

Hmm. I'm not like that, so maybe we are all wired somewhat differently in that respect. I like your photos, yet I would like you just as well, if you did not post any photos of yourself. Do you remember, I thought (at first) that you might be a Black man with an Asian name!

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha

This is probably true. But posts with none except very abstract background are not particularly interesting. If I know the city where someone lives, I can visualize something of their reality. Without that what they say just drifts away into the ether.

Ha