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HollyS -> RE: Can avatars be deceptive advertising? (12/5/2006 9:01:27 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: mistoferin
I often see people choose avatars that are a photo of some gorgeous model type woman. For many of us, we have come to know over time that it's not their picture. I have seen many times though, that someone mistakenly thinks it IS their photo. The avatar that was chosen by SusanofO comes to mind most recently when someone saw it used by another poster and assumed it was Susan under a new name. Does anyone view this as deceptive advertising?
No, I don't think it's deceptive at all. Honestly, this is the first posting board I've been on where people are allowed/encouraged to use pictures of themselves. Everywhere else I've been avatars are always created -- either cartoon characters, stock photos or clips of movie characters. I think it confuses things since some people use their real pic and others don't, but I just assume that most avatars are not the actual person. I check the other side if I want to see what someone really looks like.
quote:
ORIGINAL: SamKeithsslave
I think the rules are fairly clear;
No commercial photos or artwork - Only pictures you took yourself
No extreme or vulgar pictures.
No objects or places for your primary photo
No explicit genital nudity or persons in bondage.
Persons who appear underage will be asked to furnish proof of age
I took this to mean that I couldnt place pictures up that are "cartoons" or drawings etc etc and that the displayed picture MUST be me, though so many member seem to display images that clearly are not them and nothing is done, so I assume that the rule is one that just isnt enforced. I could of course be misinterpretating.
Sorry if this has already been mentioned, I havent gotten through the whole thread yet. For the record I'd like to see ONLY pictures of the real person allowed, no symbols, "artwork" etc I think it gives a much more personal feel to things.
This part that you've quoted only applies to the "other side" of CM -- the email/profile side. These restrictions don't apply to avatars used on the Message Board side, which should be kind of obvious given many of the pics used here. Most are stock avatars from the folders but mine was created for me and I had it uploaded here.
Avatars were originally intended as a window into the personality of the poster - a way to show a tiny bit of yourself, what you wish you were, what image you like to present, what you find funny, or what's important to you. They can also be an in-joke for people who get the reference (apparantly lots of people who liked SusanofO's avatar are not Lord of the Rings fans, which is where that pic comes from).
I much prefer created avatars taken from art or culture -- they tell me a little bit about how the person thinks, which is far more interesting to me than a static photo.
We all have our tastes.
~Holly
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