Would you use a personal picture for your avatar?

Maebb · September 2013

By "personal picture," I mean a picture of you or your child, where someone could look at it and recognize you.

At first I thought it was ok, but I'm having second thoughts now with all of this AE lying stuff. I guess it feels a little creepy having internet strangers seeing the "real" me, and maybe it would be safer to use a picture of a flower or something. WDYT?

And follow up question since I am apparently helpless - can someone pease tell me how to change my avatar from the mobile site? I might change it to a more neutral picture or at least not a cheesy newborn picture now that DS is a little older (although I do love that picture). Thanks!

SoDoMojo · September 2013

Yes.

ReeseFox · September 2013

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Helenahhandbasket · September 2013

My avatar is DD as a young baby. I wouldn't use one of me though (mostly cuz I hate how I look in pics.)

scoutkate · September 2013

I would and I do. I've considered changing mine, but that pic of B has been my avatar for so long (and was my siggy for awhile before that) that I just can't bring myself to change it. I don't think anyone could discover my IRL identity from my avatar alone, and if they did I wouldn't really care that much. I'm the same person IRL as I am on here (albeit with less obvious fangirling).

SandyClam · September 2013

No.

Maebb · September 2013

Thanks for all of your thoughts. Some of you, I could have guessed your answer from your avatar, but some people like @LuckyDad use a picture of someone else, so they're tricky like that. I was also interested in seeing it by percentage.

And someone please help with how to change mine! Thanks!

jenmom2girls · September 2013

Both my girls are in my avatar. I really don't have anything to hide. My last name is on here, and I have told y'all some personal things I have been dealing with. If someone I know was to happen upon it I really wouldn't care.

SandyClam · September 2013

Maebb said:

Thanks for all of your thoughts. Some of you, I could have guessed your answer from your avatar, but some people like @LuckyDad use a picture of someone else, so they're tricky like that. I was also interested in seeing it by percentage. And someone please help with how to change mine! Thanks!

I had problems with changing mine. I had to go to some weird link and not the old way. I'll try to remember.

s0ulchicken · September 2013

Nope. I have too many issues with my IL's to show my face. The last thing that I need is one of those fools finding me on TB and harassing me here. I actually took my children's names out of my siggy today with that in mind, and have decided to stop posting pictures of my LO's as well. Or, maybe post them briefly and then dd them. Part of the reason that I come here is for the reasonable anonymity. I would like to keep it that way. I mean, if someone REALLY wants to find you, I am sure that they could, but I would just rather be safer than sorry.

Maebb · September 2013

@MabelShesTheBomb, I'm not afraid that someone will recognize me. I am the same person on here that I am IRL, with the exception that I overshare here and give my opinion when I might withhold more IRL.

The AE thing is, like, what if someone takes someone else's pictures and uses them to be someone else. Like a catfish. I guess that's pretty paranoid, but weird things like that happen sometimes.

SandyClam · September 2013

Go to "My Account" (top right).

shadypines · September 2013

DD to the left.

SoDoMojo · September 2013

Maebb said:

Thanks for all of your thoughts. Some of you, I could have guessed your answer from your avatar, but some people like @LuckyDad use a picture of someone else, so they're tricky like that. I was also interested in seeing it by percentage. And someone please help with how to change mine! Thanks!

Your post made me actually question the status of my avatar. It's super old and not even that cute. So, I decided to change it, but can't figure it out on the new format. I went to theknot and changed it there... it's still the old format. Don't know if/when it'll change, but maybe that would work for you?

SandyClam · September 2013

SoDoMojo said:

Maebb said:

Thanks for all of your thoughts. Some of you, I could have guessed your answer from your avatar, but some people like @LuckyDad use a picture of someone else, so they're tricky like that. I was also interested in seeing it by percentage. And someone please help with how to change mine! Thanks!

Your post made me actually question the status of my avatar. It's super old and not even that cute. So, I decided to change it, but can't figure it out on the new format. I went to theknot and changed it there... it's still the old format. Don't know if/when it'll change, but maybe that would work for you?

Click on my screenshot. It shows you where it says change avatar.

SandyClam · September 2013

And it takes awhile for it to update.

missyishere · September 2013

My avatar and siggy are me in disguise.

Maebb · September 2013

@LexiLupin, yours was another that I didn't realize at first was a picture of someone else and not you. Unless that is actually you...

bumpuser1691848 · September 2013

My avatar is DH and me. I'm not worried about people finding me on here, but after all the picture stealing that happened a few years ago, I don't post pictures of my kids.

ncgirlgoingtori · September 2013

My avatar picture is of me, but I don't post pictures of DS.

bumpuser1691848 · September 2013

Oh, and then there's the whole moo-gate and yankee outing that freaked me out, too.

LuckyDad · September 2013

Maebb said:

Thanks for all of your thoughts. Some of you, I could have guessed your answer from your avatar, but some people like @LuckyDad use a picture of someone else, so they're tricky like that. I was also interested in seeing it by percentage. And someone please help with how to change mine! Thanks!

I am not Bill Pullman.

missymo · September 2013

Obviously, I would...since I do!

I used to be a Realtor, so my picture is all over the internet anyway. I literally used to hand strangers a card with my picture, name and phone number on it. My dad is (or was until recently) a politician, so I have also been pictured and named in campaign literature and news articles since high school. The bump is much more anonymous than that shit.

ETA: I don't have any plans to share a bunch of personal info, but I just wouldn't really give a shit if anyone knew. Come at me, bro.