why put a pic up on your profile if it,s not you?

my pic is a starry sky cos it matches my user name. on my old account i used a pic of my horse, a butterfly and a couple other things...for about a week i used a pic of darkjedi when he was banned kind of as a protest thing.

I don't use my picture as my avatar because I am a very shy person but I do not want to mislead other people so I choose other pictures instead of putting a picture of someone else. I don't really mind if someone is a mom then she puts the picture of her kid but she is puts a picture of another woman, then people will definitely assume that it is her.

I don't think a lot of people do that and if some one does, no one's probably going to find out. I usually use an icon that represents me or my mood or my current situation (see the piggy bank).

Here we are supposed to upload the avatar images and this may be anything and most of the sites don't require the personal photos of the members to be uploaded.As we need only avatar, most of the members used to upload as per their wish and some of the members used to place their own image. Suppose, if we are asked to upload own image there, then we may forced to upload ours. Also the identification of avatar images are much easier than the actual images as the avatars are colorful then ours. Also some may think that their original image can not be revealed here in the public community sites.

It is possible that someone might put up a picture of something that they like or can connect with. The internet isnt a private thing anymore. We have to protect our privacy and ourselves from scammers. There is too much bad in the world these days.

Probably the issue of security, a fan, or something they adore that is why they put someone else's picture. But I don't have a problem with that, if people would be using pictures of their idols or someone they like.

I have also used a picture of Thalia, the singer in my avatar, but now, i changed it with a picture of a strawberry, defining my user name here. But it's not a big deal if I see people even use emote icons such as their avatar, it's what they wanted to express themselves that is why, they don't use their own picture.

Besides, we are in this forum to share our opinions, not being restricted of what our avatars would be like as an attendance. Not like in a class wherein you have to put your ID and there is your picture, showing your big smile.

he fun
The idea is to figure out and not question the chosen avatar or knock it.Avatar in its true self is a creative process and who are we to judge the purpose behind every creation.

My only guess is they wish they were that person (kind of obsessive) or they do it to tease one of their friends.

I don't have a picture of me up on my profile simply because I don't want to have a picture of me on there, pure and simple. I've found other avatars that I've wanted to use in lieu of a self-portrait. I guess part of it is a whole safety thing, but most of it is because of my preference.

hmm maybe their picture is of a friend, partner or celebrity? it is understandable to have a picture of your partner - you're proud of them and want them to be seen and it could be the same with a friend i suppose and a celebrity. other than that, there is no logical explaination for why someone would have a picture of a random person they found on google...