There’s a whole paper that I’m waiting to write about the social and cultural dynamics of PFPs and the ways they signal different things to users on social media platforms.
All these pfp posts got me freakin cuz I worked hard on my logo (and grew up in the “don’t show your face/name” time of internet) and now I don’t know if ppl don’t trust me bc of it. XD lmao I should probs log off for the day
Now I'm missing the "choose which icon you want to attach to this post" options from LJ all over again. I thought, back then, that it would end up the default for subsequent social media, not the Facebook/LinkedIn "exactly one picture for all purposes and it's your real face" approach.
I would love to read this. I feel like there's a whole chapter just on the "ah, another Greco Roman statue pfp - solid chance that's a white fascist debate pervert" phenomenon.
Data point: She's right, and yet, a lot of blind people don't bother with them, so if someone without a pic talks to me specifically, I always check because it might be that, instead of the usual sockpuppety situation.