Posting Pictures or Using Your Face for Avatar

FionaMaeve · Sat, March 27th, 2004, 01:26 AM

I have a question for the women of the board who have posted pictures of themselves or are using their actual faces as their avatars:

Do you get unwanted attention?

This is why I ask: I was going to change my avatar to a picture the other day. I really like the avatars that are the actual people. You feel like you're having a conversation with the person more. My husband, however, is convinced that any female who posts her picture is going to get attention she doesn't want. Is he right? Is it a bad idea?

(He also showed me a thread on a message board that he frequents were some guy had saved pictures of every board member who had ever posted a picture--even just one picture in long gone threads--had saved them over *three years*, and then one day posted all of them to show that he knew what most of the people looked like. I found that kind of creepy.)

Anyone with any thoughts on this, please PM me.

Thanks.

Lisa Stone · Sat, March 27th, 2004, 06:45 PM

I put a pic in my profile, and I might do an avatar picture. I have had no trouble at all.

andi · Sat, March 27th, 2004, 06:52 PM

Nope. No unpleasant or uncomfortable attention here. People have been friendly but not in an icky way

FionaMaeve · Sat, March 27th, 2004, 07:37 PM

Good deal. That's what I wanted to know. Based on those two posts, and a couple PMs I received, posting pics seems AOK.

Thank you for the feedback; I appreciate it.

woeisemma · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 01:00 AM

I've only gotten positive feedback. I like picture avatars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freemason

Good deal. That's what I wanted to know. Based on those two posts, and a couple PMs I received, posting pics seems AOK.

Thank you for the feedback; I appreciate it.

chops · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 04:06 AM

i've posted my pic in the past and never had problems. i don't think you would have much issue with these kind of fitness communities though. it might be different depending on the type of people a certain community will attract.

marcus · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freemason

I really like the avatars that are the actual people. You feel like you're having a conversation with the person more.

I couldnt agree more. Thats why it took me a while to warm to posting on forums because you really dont know who your talking to. I never give personal info and I work in a well known place in my city and I would freak if I had someone from a message board show up. :d_eek:

It helps though when I know what the person looks like. The person could still be a weirdo but at least it feels like I'm talking to a human, not some faceless, fromless person on a computer on the dark side of the earth

I know what a lot of the regulars on this forum look like so its pretty good. What do you think of starting a thread where people can post a pic of their face so we know whos lurking behind the username?

Marcus

guava · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 11:49 AM

I don't use my picture as my avatar, but I have a picture in my profile. If someone's curious, they can take a look. The only reason I don't use my pic as my avatar pic is because I don't would be just a little uncomfortable if one of my friends or neighbors were browsing the boards and "bumped into" me. Just because I like to think of this as my own private community, separate from my real community. For regular members, I agree, it's nice for them to know what I look like.

I can't guarantee that you won't get attention from your pic, but I'm sure no more attention than you'd get in your health club. People ask me if my avatar picture is really me, and I don't mind. Any attention I've gotten is flattering; this group doesn't seem to be the harrassing type.

Rockman · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 02:52 PM

The women on this board are always hitting on me after seeing my avatar!

j/k

guava · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockman

The women on this board are always hitting on me after seeing my avatar!

j/k

I'm not surprised Rockman.

To some extent, you get what you ask for, I think.

If you post nearly naked pictures of your perfect body, you'll get comments about your nearly naked perfect body. You'd probably be disappointed if you didn't. If you don't want people saying how hot you look, don't post pictures of yourself looking hot.

Lisa Stone · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 04:36 PM

LOL@Rockman

Destiny · Sun, March 28th, 2004, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockman

The women on this board are always hitting on me after seeing my avatar!

j/k

What else did you expect with a hat as nice as that one?!

JimH · Mon, March 29th, 2004, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guava

The only reason I don't use my pic as my avatar pic is because I don't would be just a little uncomfortable if one of my friends or neighbors were browsing the boards and "bumped into" me. Just because I like to think of this as my own private community, separate from my real community. For regular members, I agree, it's nice for them to know what I look like.

I was concerned about being "bumped into" when I put my avatar and pictures up. Then I thought "so what?" and posted away. I think it's great that so many people of different shapes and sizes have put their pictures up. It shows casual browsers who may think they have a really hard job ahead of them that it's not impossible to fix an out-of-shape body, however out-of-shape it is. Unfortunately I think it's a different matter for girls and I can quite understand why some of you wouldn't want to put your pictures on the board.

Quote:

Originally Posted by guava

I can't guarantee that you won't get attention from your pic, but I'm sure no more attention than you'd get in your health club. People ask me if my avatar picture is really me, and I don't mind. Any attention I've gotten is flattering; this group doesn't seem to be the harrassing type.

Just for info:

I hope that if anyone gets uncomfortable comments they'll let the poster know and report it using the '!' button to the top right-hand of the message box. It's worth adding that if someone continues to harass you by PM (Private Message), you can switch the option off completely in your Control Panel (accessed by 'User C/P' on the toolbar) or block messages from that person by clicking on their username, looking up their public profile, and then clicking 'add <username> to your ignore list', which is just beneath the larger, right-hand avatar on their profile.

However, I hope nobody has to resort to this. This messageboard is a very friendly place because we're all here for the same reason :db:

(collapses under weight of two very light dumbells) :d_redface

JimH · Mon, March 29th, 2004, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockman

The women on this board are always hitting on me after seeing my avatar!

What, even with a nose as big as that?

piel2000 · Tue, March 30th, 2004, 11:14 PM

if your husband really has a problem just put a good one of you and him. it may tell men that you are happily married and you are really not interested.

FionaMaeve · Tue, March 30th, 2004, 11:24 PM

Now if I can just get him in *front* of the camera. Actually you can kind of see my husband in my avatar, and you can see him pretty well in the larger version of the same picture in my profile. He's awesome.

By the way, I really like your avatar pic, piel2000

piel2000 · Wed, March 31st, 2004, 12:10 AM

this is funny but the best way for me to get my husband in a picture is for me to get him drunk. and since he is in the MARINES, they think they are not allowed to smile, so that problem is solved by grabbing his @s*. don't you love it when we think...

Duckman · Wed, March 31st, 2004, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freemason

My husband, however, is convinced that any female who posts her picture is going to get attention she doesn't want. Is he right? Is it a bad idea?

oh, he's right...I always hit on 24 year old, good looking, married chicks on the other side of the Atlantic

Seriously, like everybody else says, no problem. Nice to see your face

Revlis · Wed, March 31st, 2004, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckman

oh, he's right...I always hit on 24 year old, good looking, married chicks on the other side of the Atlantic

Seriously, like everybody else says, no problem. Nice to see your face

Haha, same here. He sounds a little paranoid to me.

Now should I show my face

FionaMaeve · Wed, March 31st, 2004, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckman

oh, he's right...I always hit on 24 year old, good looking, married chicks on the other side of the Atlantic

Lol

I don't think it's paranoia.

I think he just saw some guy on the other board he frequents post pictures of about 150 members collected over three years and got weirded out.

And I've had some past experiences with stalking, so I was a bit hesitant.

And yes, Revlis, you should show your face!