Member Pictures - Feedback
Hey 7 Cups Members, do you like the ability to have pictures?
How is it going?
Here are the member pictures guidelines:
The goal of the picture is to express warmth, compassion, and kindness. Your image can be head shot (picture of your face), nature scene, art/symbol/image (i.e, Hope), or animal.
If you are a listener, it is required that your member and listener images are different.
Protect your anonymity by choosing an image that does not reveal your personal identity.
Please do not include pictures of famous people, sexually suggestive pics, or cartoon pics.
Images must be in JPG, GIF or PNG format and less than 5MB.
In my view, posting photos of members is a violation of the anonymity guidelines we agree to. I can't think of anything more personal than one's likeness.
I suppose people reason that posting names is a greater violation because it's easy to do text-based searches on the internet, but much more difficult if not impossible to do image searches using the currently available technology. While that is certainly so, I don't think that is reason to relax the rules.
Other concerns are how images might negatively affect listener/member interaction. It introduces age, sex and race preferences (or intolerance) into the equation. Where in the past someone might have been helped or been of help chatting with someone s/he knew little about, now the person avoids the contact because of personal bias. Should we encourage that?
If we think that folks should be able to limit their contacts to people of a certain age, gender, ethnic group, etc, then we should make that choice available at registration.
I hope we don't do that since I think it would greatly diminish the effectiveness of this site. For the same reasons, I think the photo feature should be disabled.
Truthfully, I feel the pictures are a personal choice
we all have choices to make in our lives....if someone wants the world to see their awwesomeface.....that is their choice....as it is their choice to stay anonymous if the choose.....to each his own........
Do you guys like my picture.
hahahahahahaha 2+2=5
Yes, you look lovely. :-)
thanks
That is... What does it matter? An image doesn't have to actually be you. You can have a picture of whatever you like. Heck, the first person I approached to talk to was because of their avatars. Just because an image establishes an identity doesn't mean that's bad. I'd rather use an objective but personal image so that people can remember me more. And by having the image by choice, it negates the idea of an identity you can't outrun-- hints likeness and race. If you want anonymity, go to the bowels of blahtherapy, which is more like chatroulette in its inability to have even standard usernames. Or, you know, not have an avatar.
Ah, wrong reply. Accursed circumstances. This was meant for the post above. I'm sure your avatar is lovely.
Double checked on a new browser-- super cool av.
I think we're talking about two different things. The original question was about actual photos of the person, not selected images or avatars.
I have no objection to people putting up photos of pets, avatars, nature scenes, drawings or what have you. My sole concern is about posting real photos of the listener or the member and the potentially negative impact that may have on the effectiveness of 7CupsOfTea.
That's still really up to each member. The chances of members actually running in to and recognizing each other is quite low, and there's no guarantee the person in the picture is the account owner. There could also be cases where someone feels more comfortable speaking to someone of the same sex, so certain identity factors aren't inherently negative.
I love having a profile picture. I live in the USA, in a very prejudiced town. My culture is very important to me andI love having a way to express myself.
I think it is good so long as anonimityis preserved to protect members. Also can there be some other way that makes it really easy to distinguish members from listeners. I know we have circles and squares but considering listeners used to be circles it is kind of confusing. personally, I have had a couple of instances where I have meant to post something from my member account and it has accidentally gone to the listener chatrooms which makes for some awkward explanations:D
I like the idea of having avatars.
I have already seen that some members/listeners have posted cartoons pictures, pictures of themselves are a bit risque, and some rather dark and depressing pictures as their avatars (I have even seen a few people with pictures of skulls as their avatars). But for the most part, it seems most people get the idea that their avatar should give off compassion and warmth.
Giving people the choice of having their own avatar may helpgive them the feeling of being unique......i personally dont want to be the letter "C" all the time.....you can change the avatar with your mood....kind of like a mood ring....lol
I think avatars (within reason and pre-screened) is fine but I am not comfortable with members having head shots because of anonymity. I also feel that maybe members would feel like they needed to have a image of themselves if their listener asked to see what they looked like (a concern mainly for long term members) or if they felt they needed to because their listener did. I feel the goal of this site is emotional support too rather than mindless self expression and as such even some images that are not personal are bordering on inappropriate and can make listeners feeling uncomfortable but unwilling to discriminate.
My view of this site is that is to help people feel better about themselves....i don't believe any form of self expression should be viewed as mindless....expressing ourself is part of growing.....moving forward....i enjoy seeing the avatars....it sets people apart instead of being just another number (or in this case a letter)......so... Rock those avatars.....let your individuality shine....
By self expression I was referring more to the before mentioned avatars of sculls or otherwise photos of a darker nature which could also be potentially triggering for members in the chat rooms.Self expression should not be at the expense of others and I feel that there are more appropriate forums for that sort of thing aside from this site, but at the same time I do understand why you might feel a single letter is generic and impersonal.
I love having that ability to post a cute or inspiring photo. As someone else mentioned, I think pre-screening would be highly beneficial though, in case a user is posting a highly inappropriate photo that could be triggering to another member or listener.
Agreed
