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What do you guys think of personal photo ID on blogs vs. avatars?

There are several reasons I don't post my own pictures on my blog.

1. I teach children, and the parents vary a great deal in terms of the personalities that they want around their little ones. I don't want to lose my income simply because of my online personality.

2. I don't want my students find me online, and read about my racy day-to-day details, and me cussing, and drinking, and... you know.

3. I'm sensitive to other people taking my photos and circulate them around the internet for whatever reasons.

So I started putting up cartoon versions of myself (which looks like me, as my friends would say). What do you think? Do you think you would literally ignore a blog more if the blog doesn't have photos?

Tags: blog, discussion, photos, privacy, question

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cat on February 25, 2008 at 1:02pm: No way, I don't ignore avatars as I chose one for my main design on my blog as well. On the other side, though, I do post real photos of me but for the purposes that I WANT to be real to others. I present myself as a person that deals with day to day issues that some won't talk about. Some deny it is real, etc.

So for me, I really wanted people to realize that I'm real, and I'm human. I went on national television this past year for that very reason.

In your case, though, I certainly see why it's best you remain who you are, true to yourself, yet not expose that "real" look to others. It doesn't make your feelings or humanity less real to me at all. Do others find this to be the case?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Turnbaby on February 25, 2008 at 1:07pm: I straddle the fence. I've posted the most identifiable real pic of me here and I have real pics on my blog. I use an avatar on Yahoo IM and I have a specially created 'image' I use for my BlogTalkRadio show TurnbabyTalks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by sunshinetalia on February 25, 2008 at 3:33pm: I always use my own photo, but always struggle with this when I am teaching, as it does make you searchable and you have to be more careful about what you write... doesn't help that my URL is my name. :-P; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Karl Erikson on February 26, 2008 at 5:01am: It wouldn't necessarily turn me off that there aren't any "real" photos. I totally understand why you're using a cartoon avatar. I gave up being anonymous a long time ago, so it doesn't bother me to post photos of myself. Do it all the time, actually.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Savyart on February 26, 2008 at 6:16am: I use a real photo of myself because it's just easier I guess. Actually, now I have no idea. I have removed all photos of my children though, and won't be posting any of those ever again.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by CuriosityKiller on February 26, 2008 at 7:09am: Wow. Sounds bad. Did you you have oppositions by others when you posted pictures of your own kids? Sorry to hear that.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cat on February 26, 2008 at 8:07am: I actually had family ask me to remove photos of "their family" when it was indeed my own family I had pictured. I have a feeling that me being outward about my mental illness made them uncomfortable. I refused.

Both my children say they are not ashamed of me and my trials, and I made sure before I went on TV about my MPD that they both were certain that they were okay with their friends or others knowing a bit about my life. I think adults have more issue with honesty than children.

Frankly, that's my soapbox, I feel mental illness is not something to be ashamed of, it's a hurdle in life that many face and soooo many hide. In this way it proved to me that family members had some shame about it, and therefore wanted to inadvertently express this by asking me to remove pictures of my own children. Sad, huh?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by CuriosityKiller on February 26, 2008 at 8:22am: Cat, I actually know how you feel. I've read your blog a little while back, and I think you're very brave and courageous to blog that way you do. I have problems that I don't blog about because I just don't need stupid judgements. People are stupid and selfish. It's inherent. My heart goes out to you.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cat on February 26, 2008 at 9:15am: Thank you for that, but honestly, it came through therapy.

They kept saying, "you must learn to love yourself" when I was fighting the urge to self-injure and it occurred to me that "myself" being loved meant I had to be okay with who I was, faults and all. This took the judgment out of the picture and allowed me to say "I'm me, us, we" and be proud of it all.

I just hope to teach those around me that it's okay to be you, you are important! I can have pure confidence one day and self-loathing the next but it's all me... :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Neil on February 26, 2008 at 9:21am: I love seeing photos of my blogging friends just because it makes me feel closer to them. That said, I understand the need for anonymity, and woman wanting to feel secure, so avatars don't bother me at all.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by JayNCoke on February 29, 2008 at 8:31am: Your points are valid and well thought out. I totally agree that putting your image out there can expose you to some unwanted risks. For me, I have two different blogs...

One where I can post whatever I want. My friends and family know about it, so they can keep tabs on me and what I put up. On this one, though, I try to keep any real personal information off (like my real whole name). I also password protect my photo gallery and only my friends and family can see it. It's basically a gallery of my Flickr pics. And I make pictures of my family and friends private, while the more safer pictures I keep public.

The other site, I guess you can call it my "official" site. I have my full name in it. I am more conservative on that one, and make posts as if potential employers or my bosses would come across it. I am more comfortable putting my personal picture on there, since I want to attach my face to the information and posts I make there.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Miss Britt on February 29, 2008 at 5:09pm: I am not anonymous on my blog - but my life makes that OK (I work for a blogger for pete's sake!)

But there are lots and lots and lots of reasons that people don't use pictures. And that's OK too.

The only time it's NOT OK with me is when someone acts like a caricature. Some people use anonymity to act in a way they would never act in real life. And if their "fantasy" person is foul and nasty... well then I'm staying away from them because their foul and nasty. Not because they don't use pictures.

I do kind of think though that if you haven't put yourself "physically" out there, it's not fair to make physical judgments about other people who have. But then - even if you had pictures, I still wouldn't think it was very nice to be mean about what someone else looks like.

And now I've descended into the realm of incoherent ramblings.; ▶ Reply to This