Why do some hubbers not have their real picture on their profile?

1. 94

   rajan jollyposted 11 years ago

   Why do some hubbers not have their real picture on their profile?
   
   I've seen at least a couple of hubbers who have photos of actors or actresses as their profile image. Whom are they trying to fool and why?

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2. 90

   FlourishAnywayposted 11 years ago

   That does not seem appropriate at all.  If a person uses a photo that is not themselves in their profile, it should be an object, animal, etc. rather than another person.  Maybe their profile should be flagged for review -- especially if you think they are doing it to deviously drive traffic their way through "convenient confusion" with a celebrity.

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3. 60

   jaydeneposted 11 years ago

   I think that some people may want to remain private,
   to me I use my picture because I am not ashamed of anything I write, or the fact that I wrote it.   I am glad to have other writers recognize me
     it is what getting know is all about

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      Maggie Bennettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that is why I am here also.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No shame here, I remain private in part because I am self employed and my customers may not like my opinions. Many people lose their jobs/incomes this way. Others are private due to stalking, bullying, or just not wanting to be judged by 1 photo.

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4. 73

   johndnathanposted 11 years ago

   I see no reason why I should post a picture of some person that is not me.  I give you my word that the face in my profile is my own!

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      fpherj48posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      john......No problem.  I recognized you immediately!

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5. 79

   dailytop10posted 11 years ago

   In my case, it's about setting up a brand. I think you are referring to what they call "posers". Controlling this kind of act is virtually impossible. I can simply take a snapshot of my pretty neighbor and upload it as my prof pic. The main goal of posers is to gather more attention.Sad to say, there's nothing we can do to stop this since knowing which one is true or fake online won't be easy. We have to live with it.

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6. 67

   sunilkunnoth2012posted 11 years ago

   This is a very genuine concern. Actually I was thinking of raising the same question.  It is right that some hubbers are using the photos of actors or actresses as their profile image.  This is a wrong practice.  As FloursihAnyway suggested, if they are reluctant, they can use photos of an object, animal, etc. But displaying the photo of another person is nothing but cheating.  Some hubbers are exploiting the reputation of the well known personalities through this process. I have very clearly observed the undue recognition a hubber earns through the display of fake photos. When I checked the fan mails of some such hubbers, I noticed that they have got some comments in praise of their beautiful personality!  Actually these appreciation are meant for the real person not the fraudulent hubber.  The sad fact is that  the commenter as well the film stars are not even aware of it.  In a way this fraud activity gives them ( the frauds) unwanted popularity and traffic too. I was shocked that one hubber having a viewership of above 100,000 has pasted the photo of a famous film personality. It is shocking as well painful too.  The HP has to take some strict action in such fraudulent case.  My observation also tells me that this practice is more among the Asian hubbers. You have brought a very valid point, which I hope the authority will  consider seriously.

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7. 91

   MarleneBposted 11 years ago

   I think some people think it is "cute" and "fun" to post a profile picture of someone other than them. I think they don't take the community seriously. I can understand wanting to be anonymous. In that case, perhaps they could use a photo that depicts the brand for which they want to be recognized. I think that's OK, but to use the photo of someone else is quite strange to me. And, it's not cute at all. It's just strange.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, it's very strange to use a photo of someone else. I can't even think of any legitimate reason to have that idea cross one's mind, let alone actually do so.

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8. 61

   tirelesstravelerposted 11 years ago

   Had some allusion of privacy when I first started. Now. I kind of like my avatar. There are pictures of me on some of my hubs.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have always loved the bird of paradise and it's pretty cool as your avatar.

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9. 79

   Express10posted 11 years ago

   I think using another person's picture is wrong and can be misleading. The writing and topics of the hubber should be the attention grabbers. However, each person has their own standards and will ultimately do as they please. Those who use photos of other people may be trying to pull the wool over reader's eyes but we can only hope that they aren't fooling anyone. While there are many legitimate reasons for not using one's own photo, I would think that a person would just use something of their own creation. There really is no positive reason to use another person's photo.

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      fpherj48posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Express.......and you are a very beautiful SNOWMAN!   I don't care what anyone says!    Is your real name, "Frosty?"    LOL

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10. 66

    younghopesposted 11 years ago

    It is wrong to have images of actors or actresses but i think it is not wrong if we just place a flower, or an abstract art image, because over a period of time we all get used to seeing that picture and recognize him or her by that image, even if a person is placing an image of another person taken from the net, then perhaps we would never know

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11. 57

    myeffortsposted 11 years ago

    I love nature. That's why I put it there. To have image of some celebrity instead of one's own is really not good, particularly if the objective is to drive traffic.

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       sunilkunnoth2012posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       You are right.

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12. 60

    fpherj48posted 11 years ago

    Well now, rajan......I should have thought of that!  I guess I'll choose the female celebrity who has the most handsome & richest husband!   But then, I'll need to HURRY, before they divorce!  Next thing I know, I'll be married to someone else, and I may not like him!!
    Seriously.....I've often wondered about this very thing. Many hubbers have profile pictures of "scenery".....not even people.  I have read that some people simply wish to remain faceless, but few will offer the reason.  Maybe they enjoy being "mysterious."   Then....there are fellow-writers who have their real faces, but use an alias!   
    I rarely will read a hub, if it shows "the spooky shadow" of the man in the hat!  LOL!  I mean, PLEASE.....my parents told me to stay out of dark alley ways!
    And one more possibility.....a lot of writers have more than one account.  They write under different names.....and post random pictures.  I tell you, rajan.....it's a crazy guessing game out there!

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       tillsontitanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       But remember girl, "the Shadow knows"

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13. 95

    LongTimeMotherposted 11 years ago

    I could make a list of s-o-o-o many reasons why hubbers would choose not to have their real picture on their profile. Would you deny JK Rowling the chance to participate on HP without being recognised? Every time she wrote about a topic close to her heart she'd be bombarded with comments from Harry Potter fans. Have you heard she published her latest book under a male nom de plume? Have you wondered why?
    
    What about hubbers who share their fears and concerns and ask questions about serious family issues who couldn't feel safe enough to do so if they risked being identified by friends, neighbours or - worse - the family members themselves?
    
    Shy individuals who desperately want to publish their poetry, but fear it will be considered no good ... and their face will be associated with what might prove to be a personal disaster?
    
    It is very easy when you live a 'normal' life to assume that everyone should be confident and happy to show their photo. However if you get a little creative and try to imagine the lives and personalities of some of the hubbers you meet here on HP I think you'll be able to answer your own question.
    
    For my part, I enjoy being able to write about personal aspects of my current lifestyle and family life without it being linked to my professional background. I'm certainly not ashamed of my life or my hubs or what I choose to write about ... but I value my privacy after many years in the public eye more than you could possibly imagine.
    
    When I write on HP I am happy to share that I am a longtime mother with kids ranging in age from mid 30's down to not-yet-a-teen. I will happily write about the fun and challenges of living off the grid for the past four years, my passion for growing organic herbs and vegetables, and my efforts to create a sustainable future for my family away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
    
    What does it matter what I look like? Does it make my experiences any less real? My hubs are filled with my own photos, so readers can see that I do actually have real solar panels and real pigs and real children.
    
    I will never put my real picture on my profile. Instead I use a photo of one of my children when she was very young. I like the photo because I've always loved swinging in a hammock with my kids over the years.
    
    However I agree, rajan jolly, it is a poor choice to use the image of a famous person if it's not yourself.
    
    Unless HP starts issuing passports and driver's licenses, I'll be keeping my photo off my hubs.

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       Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Well said. I will never understand those who live and read only by other people's photos that they have no proof of being real anyway. It you are interested in certain topics or titles, read, if not, don't. Otherwise buy a child's picture book.

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       Ruby H Roseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Oh yes, need I reply?  I feel the same way.  I change my picture every season, nature is my face, and I love being able to express freely what that means to me here, thank you HP.

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14. 61

    FatFreddysCatposted 11 years ago

    Wait...you mean, I'm not really a top hat wearing cartoon cat?
    
    This changes everything.

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       fpherj48posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       FatFreddysCat......LOL!! You always make me laugh!   You must be a really Fun person to socialize with!!   If you want to be a top hat wearing cartoon cat......I say, Why not??!   Stay who you are!

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       Ruby H Roseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       We are what we believe, love your comment and yep, see things the same way.

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       toptendealsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       MInd...........  Blown.

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15. 80

    tillsontitanposted 11 years ago

    I think it is like using a pseudonym ... check my name and picture!
    When I first joined HP I wasn't sure what I was getting into and didn't know if I wanted to use my real name and picture.  Obviously I can change my picture at any time but it is me, I just look better in a costume!
    Using someone else's photo is a little different.  It is definitely hiding more for whatever reason.  Shyness, privacy, any number of reasons.  It is interesting to read everyone's take on this question.  Good one Rajan.

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16. 94

    ChitrangadaSharanposted 11 years ago

    Very good question! Using someone else's picture is wrong. The celebrities do not even know that their pictures are being misused.
    I do not see any point in not using one's own picture and name. Rather I would be very uncomfortable doing this.

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17. 83

    M. T. Dremerposted 11 years ago

    I chose my non-human picture for privacy purposes as well as to reflect a certain branding of myself. (Sepia scholarly is what I was going for.) The celebrity pictures don't make much sense to me, but I do think there are a few instances where using a stock photo of a human that isn't you could make sense. For example, if you write hubs about makeup it could be a stock photo of a woman in heavy makeup. Or if you write crime fiction, your picture could be of a chiseled man in a fedora. But, again, those are all about branding. So for reasons other than that (and shameless sex appeal) I can't imagine why someone would do that.

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18. 63

    Sue Baileyposted 11 years ago

    This IS really me!  I write under my real name but some people do not so I guess they don't want to publish a picture of themselves.  Perhaps they are a fan of the celebrity?  You'll know something is wrong if my picture suddenly changes to Brad Pitt!

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19. 89

    The Dirt Farmerposted 11 years ago

    I agree with several other respondents that privacy is an issue, especially for women. Using a real picture can cause you to get the wrong sort of attention for your work.

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       Ruby H Roseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Good food for thought, this is true.

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20. 70

    The Public Imageposted 11 years ago

    Obviously, I'm not using a picture of a celebrity as my avatar, but it's clearly not a picture of me. I actually had a self-pic as my representation on HP until a few days ago, when I discovered the benefits of linking to my Hubs via Pinterest.
    
    This raised an interesting issue: some sites where you post links will derive an image from your HP subdomain, and if that image is anything less than enticing to a potential audience, well, there's no sense in using it.
    
    Ergo, I replaced my previous avatar with a more generic image that better conveys what I'm writing about, if only so that any linking applications that pull the first image they find as a representation of said subdomain might just hook a potential reader.
    
    I'm sure some users of celeb avatars are thinking the same thing, which is kinda cheating; on the flipside, I'm sure there are people who are just wearing their fan-hood on their proverbial sleeves. I doubt sincerely that using a celebrity as an avatar gives one a huge advantage, but I guess you'd never know without trying it yourself...

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21. 87

    Sherry Hewinsposted 11 years ago

    I don't really have a problem with people using any image they want as their avatar. as long as they have a legal right to use it.
    
    Sometimes people feel that a different image expresses who they are better than a photo of themselves would.
    
    If someone gets more traffic by having a photo of a model as their avatar, I guess readers are just shallow. We're all free to do the same.
    
    Many people are not comfortable with the way they look, and do not want to be judged by it.

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22. 0

    Vickiwposted 11 years ago

    Rajan - this really is me, but I must admit sometimes I've thought it would have been nice to have a nice avatar in place of my photo. I just didn't think of it in the beginning, and now people are used to me. I think others must have different reasons for using other photos etc, and that is fine. But as others have commented, using celebrity photos is a bit of nerve, and should not be tolerated.

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23. 84

    compu-smartposted 11 years ago

    I thought I saw a puddy Cat..................................

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24. 38

    Borsiaposted 11 years ago

    OK I'm not really a small Chinese street fruit vendor woman. I knew someone would find me out sooner or later, but I'm in a witness protection system that tries to conceal our identities in a number of ways.
    I suppose now I'll have to change it to a Mongolian shepherd or a pygmy.

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    brblogposted 11 years ago

    Using a photo of an actor or some other celebrity makes no sense to me. I used a made-up image just do something different and maybe there is a bit of anonymity to it but I also use an actual photo of myself in other places on the web – like LinkedIn. If someone really wants to find that, it is not too hard. So, I don’t have a problem with folks using some other image to represent themselves; some of them are quite good but I agree that using a photo of a celebrity (or any actual person other than yourself) is wrong. I also don’t like it when people use doctored pictures that mock someone. That just sends the wrong message and totally turns me off.

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26. 61

    Wacky Mummyposted 11 years ago

    I choose not to have a picture of me, as I like my anonymity. I've also had various issues with people in my personal life and would prefer that they don't know what websites I am a part of by doing a google search. This way it keeps both me and my family safer online.

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    FitnezzJimposted 11 years ago

    Some folks write anonymously simply because their employer has strict rules about the possibility that employees be perceived as speaking for the organization.  The choice they make is self-deny their own freedom of speech, or write anonymously.

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    dianetrotterposted 11 years ago

    I don't know rajan but I am convinced that it is a cover for people who want to be mean and say awful things.  Not everyone with a moniker does that but it is certainly a great cover for the devious.

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29. 67

    Ceegenposted 11 years ago

    Because people are afraid of reprisals and ridicule.
    
    Humans are deceptive creatures, always trying to create some kind of distance between themselves and others, for fear of any number of reasons. The motivating factor is, however, always based on fear.
    
    When we distance ourselves from the reality that we're not perfect, we try to hide behind a 'perfect facade' which can protect us in some way. If people don't know what you really look like, they can't ridicule you for being overweight, having a disfiguring scar on your face, etc. etc..
    
    A better question would be; why are people so cruel, that others have to hide behind false images to feel safe? Can't we discuss things like adults without fear? What makes people go to such extremes to make themselves feel good about their own inadequacies, that they are willing to put others down?
    
    "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." - Proverbs chapter 16, verse 18 (KJV).

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    mintinfoposted 11 years ago

    I don't use my real pic because what I have to say does not have anything to do with the way I look. My pic is only posted a few places on the net because people tend to judge the message by the way the messanger looks. Plus I like to maintain a certain level of anonymity.

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       dianetrotterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       You know there is a lot of truth to that.  Some people looked at Rachel Jeantel and wouldn't believe anything she said.  Sad you have to do that; however, people do judge (discrminate).

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    healthylife2posted 11 years ago

    I don't use my picture because I haven't told many people about my health issues including my parents. Also, this is my first experience interacting online and it just seemed safer. However, I did try to use a picture that related to the topics I write about most often. I'm not sure people are trying to fool others but might just want to remain anonymous so they pick a picture of an actor or actress.

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32. 93

    kalinin1158posted 11 years ago

    That's a good question Rajan, and something I recently wondered about myself.
    I use a generic image of a woman sitting under the stars and the moon; it's dreamy and mysterious and celestial - characteristics that can often be seen in my writing. So I don't think this picture is a misrepresentation of me.
    
    The reason I don't use my real picture is that, as Mintinfo said, "people tend to judge the message by the way the messenger looks". Many of my hubs deal with topics of spirituality, psychology, paranormal and transcendental experiences...Writing on HP gives me a unique opportunity to reach out to many people, especially those whose experiences in life can not be explained with conventional logic, or whose beliefs are different from most. I can offer them comfort and validation, maybe sometimes advice, and at the very least - a sense that they're not alone, that there are other people like them.
    
    While I certainly wish to make a deeper connection to these people, or anyone else who stops by to read my articles and hopefully finds something interesting or useful to them, I'm concerned that if I use my real picture, my writing would be somehow seen less credible, or less informed. I want to be judged on the merits of my writing, not my age, gender or hair color.  It's basically the same reason why many female writers in the past and now use male or gender-neutral pseudonyms (J.K. Rowling, J.D. Robb, George Eliot etc).
    
    Don't get me wrong - it's great to be a young attractive blonde, I'm not complaining ;-), but so many times people judge the book by its cover. Or maybe I am not giving people enough credit?

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    Sunny Riverposted 11 years ago

    Personally, I don't use pictures of my real face on hubpages because when I joined, I decided that what I wanted people to focus on was my writing. If its not good enough that people want to read it without knowing me, then what's the point? I've had the same avatar all three years I've been here because it I feel like it fits who I am and what my writing says about me as a person. It never even occurred to me to use a pic of a celebrity and its straight fraud to do so. My avatar isn't even an actual picture. Its a painting.

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