People who use pics of their kids as Facebook profiles ...

a reply to: TNMockingbird

Not saying the intention is always dangerous (actually the intention usually seems great), but it begs the question: if you're not living in a world of make-belief, why use anybody else's photo as your profile pic?

Apart from the fact that your reproductive organs are fruitful, what are you trying to prove?

I'm so cool, I'm making a mini-me?

originally posted by: halfoldman
a reply to: TNMockingbird
Not saying the intention is always dangerous (actually the intention usually seems great), but it begs the question: if you're not living in a world of make-belief, why use anybody else's photo as your profile pic?
Apart from the fact that your reproductive organs are fruitful, what are you trying to prove?
I'm so cool, I'm making a mini-me?

I understand what you are saying.
I suppose not being on the prowl on FB makes me look at it a little differently.

I wish I was as cool as my kids!

I would think just always ask the purpose and insist on a real photo.
The profile pic that I used for a couple of days was to honor my mother. Sort of like when folks sit around and go through old albums reminiscing.

a reply to: TNMockingbird

You raise a good point concerning relatives who passed.
I haven't thought about it.

Perhaps one could say they won't come back and complain.
However, kids are just starting their lives...

a reply to: halfoldman


This is a good ?.

I have many friends who change their profile pics often to reflect their children, or family members who have passed.

My personal photo is of my son and myself taken during a ski trip, although I look pretty much the same, only my hair is longer now; my son is now a teen and wouldn't be recognized. Not to mention he's steatlhy and trained in MMA.

Now I want to change it, but love this one particular memory.

Will be thinking about this .....

a reply to: KTemplar

Keep your photos by all means.
Just make it clear whose identity it is.

With adult kids, I mean it's likely to be consensual anyway.

It's just strange being friends with a middle-aged person, and under their profile name some kid pops up.
And I know we didn't have cameras that good in the 1970's.
So it's like huh?

That kid will soon want his own profile, and chat up girls and stuff.
Give them a chance too.

Don't become an albatross around their throats.

it`s probably against the facebook terms of service to use a profile picture of someone who isn`t you.

a reply to: Tardacus

It's true.
Knock me all you like people, but it's a technical violation.

But that's harsh man.
But luckily I'm just a messenger, not an enforcer.

My generation still has a bit of that hippie fire, and think with their hearts.

If you mean good, nothing bad can happen.

But nowadays everything is legalities and technicalities.

You're at a disadvantage if you don't begin to understand it.

i use a picture of a flower sometimes. i suppose I should stop tho since I am technically stealing the flower's identity.

a reply to: kilig

I guess that's OK, as long as the flower doesn't start posting stuff with your pic.

Then it would be another story.

There's some vicious flowers out there.

But roses are red and violets are blue, take what you must, but not what doesn't belong to you.

In my opinion, the profile photo should be of the person whose profile it is. If it's two or more people, the profile owner should be one of them. You can post all the photos of your kids, grandkids, dogs, cats, butterflies, flowers, etc. on your timeline, or devote entire albums to them. You can post 3 dozen pictures of them every day. You can use the cover photo to adorn the top of the page with a collage of all the adorable kids, pets and pretty things in your life. But the profile pic should be of the person who owns the page. That is it's purpose.

I do think it's kind of nice when everyone posts a photo of their parents on Mother's or Father's day. I still don't think it needs to be in the profile photo slot, but it's become a common occurrence, and it's a nice tribute, for the day, or the weekend. But after that, I'm done looking at your Mom.

If I am trying to have a meaningful conversation with someone who has the face of a green bean smeared infant, it's really hard to take that person seriously. Especially when it lists your current job title below the photo. If it's a picture of a unicorn, sure it might be pretty and magical, but it's impersonal. So right or wrong, I prefer to be looking at the face of the person who is posting.

As for the OPs concern, consider this - if you have that child or grandchild tagged, that picture will come up in a Google search, unless you have it set not to. Is this photo something they will be ok with Google presenting to future employers?? Or High School classmates?

On a similar note, I have often wondered what my parents, now both deceased, would think of me sharing their pictures with hundreds of people they didn't know. This was certainly not the norm in their day. And with that thought in mind, when I do post tributes to them on Mother's and Father's Day, I always choose a very youthful and flattering shot, for them. But I don't do it on my profile photo.