Are Screen Names With No Pics Trustworthy?

EDesq
EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
edited September 26 in Chit-Chat
I know, someone can post a false pic.

I used to keep my pic off of My postings on different websites, but then I thought...WHY? I'm not posting somewhere I'm ashamed of and I'm not ashamed of what I am posting, and no one knows my real name unless I choose to share it with them. So I decided to put My pic on My screen name where-ever I post. I think it adds some credibility relative to, frankly, not coming off as a "TROLL." Lately on here I have seen several screen names without pics who have been making some "wild" claims...I just can't believe that they are credible.

What do you think?
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Replies

  • TK266
    TK266 Posts: 3,638 Member
    Yes I agree, I only use my pic ..... so as not to confuse people and make them think it is another stromtrooper. :tongue:
  • bethrs
    bethrs Posts: 664 Member
    I would say that if there is no pic at all (as opposed to a cartoon or a pet or a famous person etc.) that it communicates to me they haven't invested fully in their profile and may be new or may be trolling. Just my thoughts.
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
    ^^ what bethrs said.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    I guess I am with you, I prefer to see something rather than nothing. Even if it is just art, it lets me know someone-person, is really there. But that is just me.
  • Xaspar
    Xaspar Posts: 726 Member
    I haven't got any pics to put on my profile yet, generally when I have time to post, I am not on a computer I can upload from. Eventually I will have one ... give it time... Not everyone is a charlatan...
  • kevanos
    kevanos Posts: 304 Member
    i lend you no more credibility because you put your picture up. I base my opinion of you on what you write, not your avatar.
  • kristanickerson
    kristanickerson Posts: 72 Member
    Are Screen names WITH pics Trustworthy? lol you're online always be careful.
  • redefiningmyself
    redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
    I don't think having a photo and/'or a real name makes anyone more credible.
    The truth is we each need to research and educate ourselves, you cannot live by words spoken from a stranger over the internet - even if they do have a nice smile.
  • lindsaylove07
    lindsaylove07 Posts: 444 Member
    I just was lazy in getting my picture up, I mostly use the mobile app, and when I use the website, I'm usually at work where I can't upload pictures. I think if you can't find any legitamate corraborating evidence elsewhere, than it's a troll! And not one of the nekkid ones with gemstone bellybuttons and wild hair!
  • BeLightYear
    BeLightYear Posts: 1,450 Member
    Yes I agree, I only use my pic ..... so as not to confuse people and make them think it is another stromtrooper. :tongue:
    OMGLMAO!!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • Swilson87
    Swilson87 Posts: 139
    I know, someone can post a false pic.

    I used to keep my pic off of My postings on different websites, but then I thought...WHY? I'm not posting somewhere I'm ashamed of and I'm not ashamed of what I am posting, and no one knows my real name unless I choose to share it with them. So I decided to put My pic on My screen name where-ever I post. I think it adds some credibility relative to, frankly, not coming off as a "TROLL." Lately on here I have seen several screen names without pics who have been making some "wild" claims...I just can't believe that they are credible.

    What do you think?

    Same here. If I am ashamed or afraid to post a picture, I don't join the website. Nothing I do here can be considered harmful, or shameful, so why not.
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
    couldn't' agree more!
  • frostiegurl
    frostiegurl Posts: 708 Member
    More importantly, are screen names with pictures of costumed cats trustworthy?
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    I used to not have my pic on here just because I was very insecure about my looks but now it doesn't bother me so much. I figure if someone doesn't like my looks then don't look at my pic. My name really is Betty but I still don't put my last name on here just for security reasons.
  • jaded_rose
    jaded_rose Posts: 298 Member
    do you mean no picture or those of us who choose to use a different image? It is a image i took myself, I'd change it but i haven't found anything else that I like better, so for now it's this one.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    it is not that I am doing something I am ashamed of... i just don't want to use a picture of myself...
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    More importantly, are screen names with pictures of costumed cats trustworthy?

    LOL! :laugh:
  • sociable15
    sociable15 Posts: 98
    I don't post a picture of myself for internet safety reasons. It's the same reason my FB is heavily locked down and my (public) twitter acct. doesn't have a picture of me. I work for the government working for victims of violent crime and have seen the dangers of being TOO out there in the internet world. I just posted the pic I have on here recently, but obviously it's not of my face.
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
    i lend you no more credibility because you put your picture up. I base my opinion of you on what you write, not your avatar.


    Exactly just because you post a pic means absolutely nothing. My pic may be one of of a ladies pic I boosted from another site, its not, but it could be...
  • ♥MyCrazyBeautifulLife
    ♥MyCrazyBeautifulLife Posts: 61
    I only post pics with no face I don't want some random person coming up to me and saying,"hey you're on MFP!!" or stalk me or something.
    I recently had to change my account due to someone stalking me.
    Plus it's not like I have long,meaningful,private conversations with people on here it's mostly hi,bye,awesome job,casual chatting and harmless flirting.
    I don't even use my first real name I use my middle just for added safety.
  • CarlitaK
    CarlitaK Posts: 139
    I don't post a picture of myself for internet safety reasons. It's the same reason my FB is heavily locked down and my (public) twitter acct. doesn't have a picture of me. I work for the government working for victims of violent crime and have seen the dangers of being TOO out there in the internet world. I just posted the pic I have on here recently, but obviously it's not of my face.

    I agree! You need to be so careful on the internet these days.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    I used to use a picture for my AV, now I have a couple on my profile only.

    I've had bad experiences on this site with people who disagree with my opinions. I also don't post my city anywhere publicly for the same reason. One stalked, twice shy.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    Having said that, I've found people often aren't who they say they are on the internet. That beautiful person you are flirting with could be a totally diiferent person than the picture. I've used fake people pictures in the past (found at random on photobucket) - just to prove the point.

    I worry about people who give out all their info freely. It's the internet.....not a church group.
  • sociable15
    sociable15 Posts: 98
    I don't post a picture of myself for internet safety reasons. It's the same reason my FB is heavily locked down and my (public) twitter acct. doesn't have a picture of me. I work for the government working for victims of violent crime and have seen the dangers of being TOO out there in the internet world. I just posted the pic I have on here recently, but obviously it's not of my face.

    I agree! You need to be so careful on the internet these days.

    And, not for nothing, all the stalking cases I've seen have made me very, very aware of what I put up on the internet. Those "check-ins" on Facebook? Four square? Terrible ideas. TERRIBLE.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Well if I saw b220091419.png as a profile photo, it wouldn't exactly be trustworthy to me.
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    I don't post a picture of myself for internet safety reasons. It's the same reason my FB is heavily locked down and my (public) twitter acct. doesn't have a picture of me. I work for the government working for victims of violent crime and have seen the dangers of being TOO out there in the internet world. I just posted the pic I have on here recently, but obviously it's not of my face.

    I agree! You need to be so careful on the internet these days.

    And, not for nothing, all the stalking cases I've seen have made me very, very aware of what I put up on the internet. Those "check-ins" on Facebook? Four square? Terrible ideas. TERRIBLE.


    But My question then: How will someone KNOW you if they Don't know your name and where you live? SOMEONE is Giving out their real information in their Profile or in Contacts with someone. Otherwise, using ONLY a pic, no one know you from the other 375 Million People in this country or For that matter all the world. The stalking stuff and safety issues have to do with "Someone" GIVING OUT REAL CONTACT INFO, NOT Putting up a PIC.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    I dunno...I think people with blank profiles is what gets me the most. Doesn't mean they are Trolls, but from experience they seem to be either trolls or people who aren't going to stick around very long. (I've had people add me for friends, they log on for that 1 day, never fill anything out...and then never log back in. :0/ )
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    More importantly, are screen names with pictures of costumed cats trustworthy?

    Anyone loving cats cant be all bad ;-)
  • sociable15
    sociable15 Posts: 98
    [
    But My question then: How will someone KNOW you if they Don't know your name and where you live? SOMEONE is Giving out their real information in their Profile or in Contacts with someone. Otherwise, using ONLY a pic, no one know you from the other 375 Million People in this country or For that matter all the world. The stalking stuff and safety issues have to do with "Someone" GIVING OUT REAL CONTACT INFO, NOT Putting up a PIC.

    That's why I'm not friends with people I don't know IRL either. People give out way more information than they need to in small ways on the internet to strangers. I'm not saying it's just one thing or another, but a combo of factors that lead to people being at risk.

    And my picture should have nothing to do with my "internet credibility". My words should. You don't need to know what I look like, as a stranger to me, in order for me to offer support and advice. But the way the question was phrased, it sounded like the assumption was that people w/o pictures of themselves as their avatar were trolls, which is not true. Many people don't put up pictures of themselves for a variety of reasons and mine is internet safety.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    I don't post a picture of myself for internet safety reasons. It's the same reason my FB is heavily locked down and my (public) twitter acct. doesn't have a picture of me. I work for the government working for victims of violent crime and have seen the dangers of being TOO out there in the internet world. I just posted the pic I have on here recently, but obviously it's not of my face.

    I agree! You need to be so careful on the internet these days.

    And, not for nothing, all the stalking cases I've seen have made me very, very aware of what I put up on the internet. Those "check-ins" on Facebook? Four square? Terrible ideas. TERRIBLE.


    But My question then: How will someone KNOW you if they Don't know your name and where you live? SOMEONE is Giving out their real information in their Profile or in Contacts with someone. Otherwise, using ONLY a pic, no one know you from the other 375 Million People in this country or For that matter all the world. The stalking stuff and safety issues have to do with "Someone" GIVING OUT REAL CONTACT INFO, NOT Putting up a PIC.

    Okay, original poster, why do they have to KNOW you? Are you going to go to their house? I've met in person three people from MFP - all were who they said they were, all were wonderful people.

    BUT. I've also been stalked on the internet and in person. And have been followed from one website to Facebook. It pays to keep everything private as much as possible. Someone could find you if you aren't careful with yor screen name and picture.

    Once you have had to get a restraining order and been in the hospital thanks to someone who "loves" you - life changes dramatically. Just try to be respectful of others' choices. If you want to tell all and have your face in the AV, by all means do so. :flowerforyou:
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