hello,
i have a concern regarding the use of pictures and avatars on this site. i believe that it should be your own choice to view pictures of aliens, beasts etc. you dont want to open a topic and have a picture of an alien jum right into your face, right?
this is a site about the paranormal and stuff, but of course there are times where i just want to get the pictures out of my head.

i also dont like the use of avatars that have their picture taken out of a video. this kind of insensitivity just pisses me off!!!!

i think there should be a line as to what you can use for an avatar and you shouldnt be allowed to post pictures in topics.

opinions???

Unless it's changed, the fact of the matter is that those Avatars don't violate the TOS. You can refer here for the current guidelines involving member avatars. If you don't wanna see them I'd suggest getting the low bandwidth option from the ATS store. Sorry that's about the only help I can give you.

Perhaps 2 or 3 avatars here really actually creep me out, but even then that only happens 12 hours after my normal bedtime when I'm red eyed, drunk and delirious.

Me thinks you should stop nitpicking and get low bandwidth mode once you can afford it.

Now this is funny you have been here just over a day,
well you can always switch to low band width and you wont see any Avatars or pictures. like the others above have said.

[edit on 12/2/2007 by Sauron]

If you do find any avatars that are truly offensive, perhaps you could use the "Complaint" function to notify staff? (Found in the Member Center)

I have seen only a couple of avatars that were truly offensive. But as long as they don't violate the Term and Conditions of this site (as previously mentioned) not much can be done on the "Board" side of things.

I think it all boils down to a matter of opinion.



2 cents

I'm confused what you mean by this. How is an avatar that's made from a video being insensitive? I don't understand.



There is a line for what one can use as an avatar, but pictures of aliens and beasts and what not do not cross that line. If it really bothers you so much, switch to the low bandwidth mode as others have suggested. And why do you want people to not be able to post pics in topics? Any kind of pictures?

This site got subjects about WAR, Aliens, Death, cospiracies, beasts, disease...


and the pictures people use to portray themselves is the problem?

To date Ive never seen a Avatar thats 'insensitive'.

patriotic,
horror-ish,
war induced..

but insensitive?
I find it odd, a picture is insensistive but describing your feelings as ''pisses me off''?

can you give some examples?

[edit on 12-2-2007 by Agit8dChop]

about the insensitive part of the video; you just take the disturbing part out of the video and turn it into an avatar. how can you not understand that?

pictures would be cool, just not pictures coming out of videos that deal with aliens and such.


you guys said it doesnt violate the TOS, well, i think the TOS should be changed then!
i cant believe im the only guy disturbed by this!

What avatar are you referring to?

Not meaning to start drama, but it would help to know what image offends you, that we can understand the problem here.

I guess its a matter of perspective:

Maybe go through these steps to make yourself a little more comfortable:

1. Read the avatar guidlines and compare the offending image
2. Use the complaint button to alert staff and tell them your reasons
3. If they don't agree then use a url filtering program and black list the image address.

So you wont have a problem.

ciao.

Or like I stated above you can just use the low bandwith option from the store(you have enough points it only costs 50). Aliens and the like are just as much a part of the subject matter on the forums here as anything else. I know it may be disturbing to some but take into account that these alien videos haven't even been proven to be real. If it is a real video then yeah I kinda feel sorry for the little guy in it, buy as far as it stands now it's no more disturbing than using a picture from a movie like Independence Day. I strongly suggest using low bandwidth mode if it bothers you so much it's a quick and easy way to not have to deal with the images, or like selmer said, use a filter to block said URL. I don't wanna cause problems I'm just stating my opinion. U2U a mod or administrator and report the image if it violates the TOS it will be removed. Going low bandwidth is about the only way that you're not going to ever see images of aliens on this site.

my $0.02

I think someone has a little sand in their joints...just kidding.

It's all a matter of perspective...just because you have thin skin and find every semi-gorish picture and avatar to be offensive, that doesn't mean we all do and certianly does not rate for a change in the TOS.

...or eyes.

Why don't you just scroll left to get the avatar out of the screen?

If it's a general problem, the bandwith option seems you.

Personal I only know of one or two avatars that bothers me so much I have to scroll left.
The point with avatars is to catch attension, and if you don't like the message they try themselfes to catch you by, just scroll on.

I only have two or three avatars I could complain to staff about if I was to encounter them repeatedly, but as it happens random and rarely I just don't care.

No Fair Peeking!


How about: ShAuNmAn-X is right. You don't have to look if you don't want to.

I've credited 50 PTS points to your account which you can use to turn on "low-bandwidth mode" in the ATS Store.

Problem solved!

"MAJIC to the Rescue!!!!"

Another great example of the moderation of this forum...

(Hey can I get 50 points for Ice Cream?)

Semper

Sorry, still confusing to me. Are you saying that you are scared by images of aliens? Did you see an alien autopsy photo and freak out? Was it a cap from the bigfoot video?




Don't worry, I'm sure there are man many more people just like you. They just don't join sites devoted solely to aliens, beasts, and conspiracies.

Welcome to ATS, I hope you have a pleasant stay.

*WARNING*

Side effects may include inability to sleep, anxiety, panic, addiction and possible hysteria.

Also the rare but serious side effects of paranoia and an increased intake of coffee.

[edit on 2/12/2007 by ShAuNmAn-X]

I have only seen one avatar that I find truly offensive and it was an image of a dog that looked as though it had been in in a fight (bloodied face and stuff).
I only saw it once though so I assume it has been changed.

I can cope with anything from aliens to cryptoids, but when animals are being hurt I draw the line!

I remember someone having one of those skinned Dobbermans from Resident Evil in their sig , but that didn't even bother me, its a movie for crying out loud (and a good one at that.

Imho you goto be pritty weak to be offended by an avatar.

I don't even see avatars unless it has a hot chick or a gremlin in it :p ( or both wink wink)

Unless its something blatantly racist I don't see how anything can be over the top.

And as said before, its all matter of opinion and taste and you can simply choose not to watch the avatars or disable them.

It seems the author of this thread is one of those people that would want to ban all nudity, violence and gore out of movies and games just because he/she can't handle it somehow.