Changing your facebook picture to a cartoon character, to fight child abuse. Can you explain how this is supposed to work?

all it does is bring attention to a cause. I see those things all the time, after the first time I ignore it. nobody will care if you don’t change your profile picture. If someone does question you, you can ask THEM how it is supposed to work!

If all the children on Facebook put up cartoon avatars, there will be little to attract pedophiles. It will be hard to tell children from adults.

I thought it was Pokemon profile pic December, so I made Mewtwo my profile pic… I don’t know where this child abuse thing came from. December has been Pokemon profile pic month for as long as I can remember.

It might help if the people spreading this message were consistent. I fell for it last year and posted my bra color, having no idea it was supposed to support breast cancer. I just about changed my profile picture today to a cartoon character, then read this question. Not one posting from my friends on Facebook mentioned it being about child abuse.

All of my plans are underwear gnome plans

It’s just slacktivism.

@zenvelo I guess I have a hard time understand that because, really, is anyone not aware of the horrors of child abuse (or breast cancer, as a lot of these little trends are usually about)?

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard Hmm interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Pokemon profile pic month. I do see 1 other friend with a Pokemon avatar. But I’ve also got 5 friends with other Cartoon characters (all of whom have posted either on their wall, or on the photo itself, about being for child abuse), as well as some other non-friends in a mass FB-mail.

@jonsblond Heh, yeah the consistency of these causes are a bit awkward.

@papayalily I think I may have to use them as my Facebook photo…

@Sarcasm, it’s somewhat well known, I guess. (Not meant to sound like a sarcastic asshole)

@marinelife Personally, what I consider to be children should not be using facebook. No one under the age 16 should be on it, in my opinion. These children should definitely have their profiles set to private and not use a personal picture for strangers to see. If we want to really do something about child abuse, perhaps the first place to start is to teach children about privacy settings.

@free_fallin I agree. My ten year old niece just started with her Facebook account (too young imo) and nothing is set to private. Anyone can look at her pictures! I just don’t get it. :/

I dunno. I changed mine to Thundarr the Barbarian because I thought it was neat. Frankly, I think 90% of anything that ends in “if you agree post it in your status!!!!!!!!!!LOLZ!!!!!!OMG!!!!!” is crap and I ignore it.

Next profile pic: Cthulhu.

Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn

It tricks people into thinking they’re doing something, like all Facebook activism/slacktivism.

I think more people would participate if they worded it like this: “All my friends and family WILL change their picture and copy & past this into their status box unless they are perverted child molesters”

Food fights, mafia wars, farmville, change picture to cartoon character, it is all the same non-sence. So fogetaboutit.

Makes people think they are helping a cause, when in fact they aren’t doing anything. I really hate stuff like that on FB, and any other site, because to me it just yells “LOOK AT ME I CARE ABOUT STUFF MORE THAN YOU!!!”

I don’t join causes by clicking an “Accept” button.

Do the program creators give a percentage of their sales to a child-abuse-prevention group? Then what the hey? If not, BS.

Same concept as wearing purple on the day that those gay kids killed themselves because of bullying.

Funny I never heard of it until now. Wondered why all my friends were doing it. Wondered why I wasn’t informed at why they were doing it. I was totally kept in the dark. Sounds like a noble cause but since no one told me I guess I will just not do it. If I didn’t need to know then they don’t need my support.

Are there copyright issues here?

By uploading a file you certify that you have the right to distribute this picture and that it does not violate the Terms of Service.

@RareDenver, yeah, but I doubt it’s enforced. I don’t think facebook would or could delete everyone’s profiles or profile photos unless they were actually approached with a copyright suit or something.

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard I know, I was just being facetious, I’m DangerMouse by the way.

@RareDenver, facetious or not, you’re still correct. Nice pic, by the way.

Putting a cartoon pic for yourprofile pic will not attract pedophiles…think about it on some peoples walls you don’t have to be friends with that person to see all their pictures they have albums of….a pedophile can simply look thru your photos and everybody puts their children and grandchildren so putting a cartoon pic was a fluke and it didn’t help a child abuse cause then there was no harm…..I’d rather see cartooon pics than some of the real people’s pics….some are dressed provocative….I say no harm no foul….

@Bogusbutch If people use the privacy settings they can easily prevent strangers from seeing their pictures.

I was actually going to participate but I didn’t feel like looking for a pic then uploading it. I guess Im lazy lol

@ free fallin so true….but some people don’t….my answer is don’t upload any pictures of your family….I have seen people posting where they are going..how long they will be gone…..some people just don’t think…..I worked in Law Enforcement 20 years and no matter how many times you warn people of dangers…they just don’t care

@marinelife‘s answer sounds like what I was thinking.