I have not yet loaded an avatar image. Still struggling with my inflated image size. However, it occurs that there are a number of avatars that are very clear face shots, rather than other 'unidentifiable' images of body parts, cartoons or other. It make me wonder: how does (if it can) LH confirm that these images are actually of the member, rather than something more sinister: have there been cases of photographs being loaded maliciously? It might be a bit of a strange thing to want to do, but I can't understand, personally, why so many people would want their easily recognisable image associated with some of the claimed activity associated with that person. Are photos confirmed before being displayed?
It would be impossible for LH to implement a procedure to 'verify' that photos uploaded are photos of that user. As long as the photo doesn't break any of the guidelines, it will be available for all to see.
The same thing goes for any other site. Twitter for example - If I wanted to, I could take someones photo from here, create a twitter profile and cause trouble. But Twitter doesn't have a verification process in place either. Neither does facebook. You can report the profiles as being fake, and they can be removed, but it doesn't stop the problem.
It's just the risk you take of uploading photos to the internet.
If you don't want to do it, then don't. Entirely your choice.
But that's my point: if I was a nutter, what's to stop me loading a photograph of someone I don't like and then wax lyrical about 'deviant' stuff that, as this site grows in popularity, eventually someone will recognise the photograph and believe they have learned something new about their previously straight-laced friend? With greater numbers, it's bound to happen at some point, no? Perhaps I'm just down on humanity. I'm sure that there are many people more confident in their on-line profile than I am, and the majority, tending to 100%, are legit. Surely there should be some though given before posting one-off avatar images? Uploaded images of members wearing stuff they have purchased here could be monitored (okay, not easily) but would give confidence that Member X has purchased these items, and therefore it is reasonable that they are submitting pictures wearing that purchase. A single image of a face? Not so easy, but if my ex-schoolmaster was loaded, together with desciptions of a prediliction for rough sex with multiple rugby teams, I might get banned, but other schoolmates might first see and beleive it. Damage done to the spotless reputation of Mr. Teacher.
This in full appreciation that your avatar, David, is credible with your desciption of yourself and husband. More power to you that you are so confident.
I think it just takes a bit of understanding how people post, and being able to identify genuine posters VS those that are 'trolling'. This isn't the sort of place where you could post about things that are potentially illegal anyway - so unless the rugby team are all over 18 years old (as life at LH begins at 18) - the posts will most likely be deleted before they've had a chance to really take old - LH moderators are pretty quick at acting on reported posts and users are banned/suspended/posts deleted promptly.
I understand where you are coming from, but as I said, this could happen on absolutely any site on the internet. It's not a unique problem to LH. And to be fair, if you are really so bored as to upload someone elses picture onto a sex toy website to try and discredit someone or make them look like a deviant, then I feel sorry for them. What a pathetic use of their time!
And yes, that is most definitely myself. And it's actually because I lack confidence that I posted it in the first place. Trying to build it!