I'd like to add an avatar on e621, but it looks like the only way to do that is to upload an image and tag it like a regular submission.

I can understand why this can be beneficial in some ways (such as maturity level, tagging etc.) but it also means anyone can set the image as their own avatar, which I don't want.

Perhaps we could have a feature that restricts that ability to only the uploader? Or set a submission as private? Or just let us upload images to use as an avatar without submitting them?

restrainedraptor said:
I'd like to add an avatar on e621, but it looks like the only way to do that is to upload an image and tag it like a regular submission.

I can understand why this can be beneficial in some ways (such as maturity level, tagging etc.) but it also means anyone can set the image as their own avatar, which I don't want.

Perhaps we could have a feature that restricts that ability to only the uploader? Or set a submission as private? Or just let us upload images to use as an avatar without submitting them?

I think setting submissions as private defeats the purpose of an art archive, which, if I'm not mistaken, is the goal of this site.

-And why wouldn't you want someone to use the same profile pic as you?

-And why do you think they will choose the same as yours? There are so many good pictures to use, what are the odds will choose yours?

-And if someone DOES choose the same pic you're gonna use, and you don't like it, why not search for a new avatar you like instead?

I don't think implementing anything like this is worth the issues it'll cause. Practically speaking, there can't be that many users using post #3215510 as an avatar. It's not even an image I have any kind of ownership over.

restrainedraptor said:
Perhaps we could have a feature that restricts that ability to only the uploader?

Incentivizes upload sniping even more. Veto.

restrainedraptor said:
Or set a submission as private?

Defeats the purpose of a well-tagged art archive. Veto.

restrainedraptor said:
Or just let us upload images to use as an avatar without submitting them?

This would make blacklisting inappropriate avatars impossible (even if users could supply tags for uploaded avatars, they frequently get tags wrong. See: female intersex solo.) It would also necessitate another set of moderation/approval tools for stuff like paysite content, illegal content, etc. Veto.

I do see the value in some kind of feature like this, if only because I know that at least one artist requested DNP status because they didn't want anyone using their images as avatars.

strikerman said:
I do see the value in some kind of feature like this, if only because I know that at least one artist requested DNP status because they didn't want anyone using their images as avatars.

Sounds fair, but a whole different thing than what the OP requested, I think.

For this artist's DNP case, I assume it would be easier to:
>Create a "No avatar" meta tag
>The site adds the IDs of posts with that tag to a list
>When a User pastes said ID when selecting an avatar, the site will check the post ID, see that tag, and print to the user that it's unavaible.

Yeah, I don't think this is something we will be implementing.

m3g4p0n1 said:
>Create a "No avatar" meta tag

Everyone can add tags. So, if there is a "funny" person, they could sneakily add the tag to posts, and faque with the system.

But I feel that problem, when I have uploaded my first avatar here, I went mad about a person who has used it, but I have learned to live with it, and see it more like a compliment.

dubsthefox said:
Everyone can add tags. So, if there is a "funny" person, they could sneakily add the tag to posts, and faque with the system.

Oh, and I suppose it's not possible, or reasonable to prevent users bellow verified/privileged from using this tag?

m3g4p0n1 said:
-And why wouldn't you want someone to use the same profile pic as you?

Because it's my OC and I commissioned it.

lafcadio said:
It's not even an image I have any kind of ownership over.

That's precisely the problem with the current system. So if you wish to veto everything I suggest, do you have an alternative?

earlopain said:
Yeah, I don't think this is something we will be implementing.

Okay, but why not?

restrainedraptor said:
Okay, but why not?

Because there isn't a practical way to do it that wouldn't be prone to abuse. We can't use tags since those can be changed by users, and we can't go by the uploader's wish since they may not have any claim to the image. The only way I could see it work would be to have a takedown-like system where you request certain images to not be usable as avatars, someone verifies the request is from the artist/character owner/etc, then a lock is put on it. That's on top of whatever changes would need to be made to the system to have such a lock.

restrainedraptor said:
Okay, but why not?

Apart from the amount of effort needed to code this up it also adds additional work on verifying ownership, if that even is something Nimmy would be willing to do.

If you take issue with other people potentially using your OC as an avatar simply don't upload it here or file a takedown if someone already did.

The reason why we don't personalise posts to be privately used as avatars is the same reason why we don't allow uploaders/artists to hide/censor their own artwork, post's score count, individual comments, etc.

E621 is not your personal art gallery, it is a public image-board for furry artwork.
By uploading your artwork/commission here, you allow it to be subjected to the public's scrutiny.
If you do not like how your artwork is being used, you are always welcome to submit a takedown request to remove it from the site.

Moreover, all uploads must also adhere to the uploading guidelines. You can imagine how self-submitted avatar pics, alongside the usual approval queue, is going to be a huge pain to go through (and also tag for blacklists to work).

restrainedraptor said:

lafcadio said:
It's not even an image I have any kind of ownership over.

That's precisely the problem with the current system.

Yeah, I don't think posting on this website is for you.

restrainedraptor said:
That's precisely the problem with the current system. So if you wish to veto everything I suggest, do you have an alternative?

You seem to be mistaken. I am not going to present an alternative because I don't think there needs to be any kind of alternative. I am not interested in additional avatar restrictions, nor the inclusion of offsite avatars.

Short of an image being completely unsuitable for display on the site, there's not much purpose in providing further limitations on avatar choices (flash content won't be embedded, animated stuff won't animate, deleted stuff won't be displayed).
Furthermore, the linking of avatars to posts also solves a few issues: people don't have to send you private messages asking for a source on your avatar because the full-sized image is always immediately available, avatars that are distasteful to you can be hidden without just blocking the user, and the fact that they have to pass through the approval process means some schmuck who loves Sword Art Online isn't going to just use the same Kirito avatar they have everywhere else.

Shrimple as that.

strikerman said:
I do see the value in some kind of feature like this, if only because I know that at least one artist requested DNP status because they didn't want anyone using their images as avatars.

Can't help stu-err. I mean, that's a shame! Seriously, though, the concept of having avatars HAVE to be posts was kind of weird but seemed a cool feature to encourage people to show off artists they liked.

Lafcadio and others have pretty much stated the reasons not to do this. This is a horrible idea as suggested to have locked avatars. It would be nice if we could have a single small thumbnail-sized image stored on our profiles, though. A sane compromise? The idea being that it's not meant for regular images, but tiny 120x120 or so things, and DNP doesn't apply to your own profile upload same as artists posting their own art even if DNP(technically, conditional).

alphamule said:
It would be nice if we could have a single small thumbnail-sized image stored on our profiles, though. A sane compromise? The idea being that it's not meant for regular images, but tiny 120x120 or so things, and DNP doesn't apply to your own profile upload same as artists posting their own art even if DNP(technically, conditional).

If I put a tiny dick pic as my profile pic, would it appear on e926.net? What about blacklists?
And I say "dick pic" as a rather basic example, people can put far worse (and illegal) things as their profile pics if we allow custom avatars on the site.

thegreatwolfgang said:
If I put a tiny dick pic as my profile pic, would it appear on e926.net? What about blacklists?
And I say "dick pic" as a rather basic example, people can put far worse (and illegal) things as their profile pics if we allow custom avatars on the site.

Yeah, there were edge cases like that could be abused. Having to have a different pic on e926 would be slightly annoying, meh.

Okay, I guess that's all I needed to know.

If the very right to have a say over what happens to my own art, or art commissioned by me, is itself a point of contention, then I guess I'll be opting out of uploading anything for the purpose of personal identity.

restrainedraptor said:
If the very right to have a say over what happens to my own art, or art commissioned by me, is itself a point of contention, then I guess I'll be opting out of uploading anything for the purpose of personal identity.

It's not a point of contention.
What is a point of contention is the needlessly complex, expensive to implement (in both time and money), time consuming to operate, and user-error prone nightmare a personalized avatar system would be for a site like this.

Your right to use your own art and characters as you see fit was never questioned.
You're more than welcome to upload your art (assuming it meets the uploading guidelines) to use as an avatar.
There are (at the time of writing this), nearly three and a quarter million posts on this site that users can choose for an avatar, the odds of someone choosing yours are infinitesimal.
And while e6 is a public art gallery, you're also free to request that art you made, or characters you own, be removed at any time, for any or no reason.
Your rights to your character and art were never in question.