Why do people on Facebook do this?
By burrito88
@burrito88 (2774)
United States
April 4, 2013 10:47pm CST
I have to admit that I have been addicted to playing Mafia Wars on Facebook. I'm not os much into it as before but I do go back and play somewhat. There's one thing about Mafia Wars that gets me and that's the avatars that some people use. Some women use sexy avatars that are obviously not photos of themselves. As a male. I do find this somewhat interesting. What bothers me though, are the large number of people who use photos of children, presumably their own children, as their avatar. What are they trying to say or do? In Mafia Wars, the objective, at times, is to go to war and 'kill' your opponent? By using avatars with children, are these players trying to make their opponent feel guilty? For me, I think the use of child avatars in a game like Mafia Wars is rather sick. For my play in the game, it doesn't affect whether I attack somebody or how much I attack someone. But it does make me wonder, what are these people trying to say?
1 person likes this
12 responses
@ElicBxn (63251)
• United States
5 Apr 13
The picture/avatar is what they have posted on facebook, it has nothing to do with game playing.
I think you can see my lovely pair of cats as my avatar. It is the same on facebook, twitter, well, everywhere.
I don't think they are trying to get an advantage, they probably just don't think about it when they play on Mafia Wars...
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
5 Apr 13
I can see using photos of pets or a cartoon character (as I do) for an avatar but I still don't see the use of small children even if it's their own. As these children get older, are these people going to use new photos of their children and if somebody did do that, wouldn't it seem like they were trying to appeal to younger people?
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63251)
• United States
5 Apr 13
I, personally, don't get posting pictures of children... but I worry about perverts not younger people.
I can certainly understand being proud of your children, maybe posting pictures in a private album for family to see them, since I have my privacy settings really high, but I don't get sharing them with the world.
I also don't get posting what I had for every meal and every other movement in my life.
Some people like to share everything and don't worry about consequences until something bad happens.
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
8 Apr 13
Some people feel the need to post evderything they do on twitter. I have some people I know who are only FB and you get a message every time they check in somewhere.
Regarding kids photos, I know there was a time when proud parents would have their kids first photo taken on a bearskin rug. Years later they would embarrass their kids by digging those photos out when the kid comes home with their first serious date. In general, posting photos on FB can be dangerous depending upon the photo. I've heard of a young female school teacher who was fired because she posted photos from her vacation where she was having a good time drinking liquor.
1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
5 Apr 13
I'd agree with you that it would be an odd thing to do to post a kid's photo as an avatar in a violent themed game environment..But I don't think FB allows for different avatars for different activity areas while You're logged in..and Changing an avatar each time you wanted to take out zombies or whatever,and then have a message chat with Aunty Mabel would be a Major PITA!
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
12 Apr 13
Unless you have a neutral subject for your avatar pic,as you say,the Avatar might clash with some of the activities you were taking part in.
FB is trying to become an integral part of your social media life.It can cover business and family,as well as your online social life.
Personally,I don't think your boss or business contacts have any business digging through your saturday night party pics and judging you-So long as you're at work when you're supposed to and doing your job,that's all they need to know!
I like the idea of your social media being compartmentalized..and the idea of a different Avatar being an option for each area might prevent you think you were getting your azz kicked by some random Kiddy!
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
8 Apr 13
Why change avatars. Use another photo for a FB avatar and post photos of the kids in a FB album. Or to be more private just email them to Auntie.
GOod Day!@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
8 Apr 13
Mafia Wars allows people to use pseudonyms that may be different from people's facebook names. Therefore you can't easily send them messages.
@luisadannointed (4171)
• Philippines
5 Apr 13
They are not trying to say anything... they are just proud mommy and daddy... and almost everyone who play mafia they do it for fun and leisure specially those who have kids already they love to play but it is just a game. So I suggest don't be bother with those avatars its their choice and makes them more inspire.
Have a great day!
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
5 Apr 13
As I said above, you can be proud and post photos of babies in your Facebook album but why use them as an avatar?
@luisadannointed (4171)
• Philippines
5 Apr 13
hehehehe... sorry... but I am 31 years old already... and almost all my friends are married... that's why I can tell you that's how they are so proud of their kids... they don't mean anything about it... but on second thought I don't know what the others means about it... but as I can see it with my friends they just post their kids picture anywhere that they can see them and anywhere they used to work or play.
Have a great day.
@scubapro (1051)
• Gifu, Japan
5 Apr 13
i think they dont try to mean anything by doing this but if you ask me ,i also think this is little bit strange using kids pictures in a war game;)
i mean its war game right.i dont know why they do that but i think i wouldnt use my kids pictures in a war game
peace
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
5 Apr 13
It's not exactly a war game in the sense of killing somebody and making them bloody. But it does seem strange when you have to attack someone whose 'picture' is a baby.
1 person likes this
@nathy24 (6)
•
5 Apr 13
i'm not against online games or whatever applications the internet is offering, i just hate the thought of violence, specifically saying, the act of killing or hurting your enemy in order to gain points in some online games like Mafia Wars.It is not a healthy games for the young ones.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
9 Apr 13
I use to play Mafia Wars and saw many photos of children and felt its unsafe. There are so many people that you don't know on Facebook and its important to be safe on any site. Some people are to trusting in my opinion and there is no reason to risk the safety of your family.
I still play a few games on Facebook, but not like I did when I first became a member a few years ago.
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
5 Apr 13
i don't think they mean anything by it. i think some people just like to use their kids' profile pics. i wouldn't, though. i wouldn't put my kids picture up on facebook for nothing.
@grvdubey11 (1879)
• India
5 Apr 13
People like to put pictures of children as their profile picture in general.If someone puts the picture to make the opponent guilty that would be childish so it don't think its done purposely.Its just a game, like in Grand Theft Auto ,we kill so many people .Sometimes we just hit people by while driving the car for fun,why should we feel guilty about that.We are not doing that in real lives.
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
5 Apr 13
Mafia Wars at least is not a blood and guts shoot 'em up. When you attack somebody, you see their stamina go down. I don't like the bloody shoot 'em ups and especially think they can be bad for younger children. The games keep getting more realistic and I think that letting young children play them can de-sensitize them to violent behavior and potentially make them more likely to act out violently in real life.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
5 Apr 13
Most probably, they are not thinking at all.
You know how some would just love using their kids' photo as their profile pic and care less.
@vidhyaprakash_2 (7116)
• India
5 Apr 13
I am not a fb game addict as well as don't know more about the game mentioned by you. As you told this game is involved with killing the oponent, so it is not a good thing to use the kids photos. Hope the persons who are using the kids photos will realize it.
@fliperis14 (18)
• Lithuania
5 Apr 13
Yeah they probably don't think about it and simply don't realise this. Making you guilty sounds funny and i don't think it's done on purpose.
