Author Topic: Why are you anonymous? (Read 28208 times)

wiser · « **on:** August 08, 2011, 20:16 »

I keep my identity unknown here because I was harassed by another member under a previous username where I was not anonymous.

Two questions:

1. If you care to share, why do you (if you do) keep your identity unknown?
2. Do you think less of the posts of people who are anonymous?

thanks

cascoly · « **Reply #1 on:** August 08, 2011, 20:57 »

Quote from: wiser on August 08, 2011, 20:16

2. Do you think less of the posts of people who are anonymous?

thanks

depends on the content - if it's general response to discussions, i dont see much of a problem

but when the anon is posting supposed advice based on their experience i treat it as near worthless - eg posts that get specific about portfolio content, rejections, income, etc when there is no trace to examine

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #2 on:** August 08, 2011, 22:11 »

I use the user name here that is on all the stock sites. In an ideal world I would like everyone to know who they're dealing with.

However, having been a vocal critic of Fotolia in the past (when I was independent before) and (a) being threatened with having my account closed because I was coordinating contributors who wanted to change FT's initial unreasonable subscription terms (to withhold uploads until they improved the deal; (b) having my account closed after I went exclusive because I was discussing some of FT's actions here, then (c) having them refuse to allow me to open a new account when I returned to independence this year, I think that there's a very good reason for some to remain anonymous to protect their livelihood.

It's a shame that there's nothing I can see anyone can do about Fotolia's behavior, so anonymity permits contributors to discuss issues more freely in off-site forums.

Some people don't want to mix up their traditional agency and microstock identities, which seems like another reasonable thing given how some folks in the traditional world loathe and despise us in microstock.

When you get someone mouthing off in their first couple of posts and they're anonymous so you can't check their portfolios, I generally just ignore the person and assume they're only here to cause trouble. We have enough trouble from the agencies without adding forum trolls

If I knew then that Fotolia would take truthful if unflattering comments in public forums as a reason to remove accounts, I might have taken a different path and gone for anonymity, but that horse is already out of the barn, so it's just a guess.

For many of the anonymous posters who are regulars, I either know who they are or have a reasonable guess and so I don't think any less of their posts.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 08, 2011, 22:41 »

Quote from: wiser on August 08, 2011, 20:16

I was harassed by another member

shank ain´t here anymore

luissantos84 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 08, 2011, 23:10 »

Quote from: MatHayward on August 08, 2011, 23:04

www.HaywardPhoto.blogspot.com

glad you posted it, stunning pictures, digging it!

TheSmilingAssassin · « **Reply #6 on:** August 09, 2011, 00:00 »

Perry · « **Reply #8 on:** August 09, 2011, 00:24 »

1. I want to be able to criticize the sites withtout the fear of getting thrown out
2. Microstock isn't my main business, my comissioned work is. I don't want people to make connections between my rants on forums and my business.

TheSmilingAssassin · « **Reply #9 on:** August 09, 2011, 00:46 »

sharpshot · « **Reply #10 on:** August 09, 2011, 01:56 »

I used all different names on the sites when I started but I mostly use this one now. I used to have all the links to my portfolio but that makes it too easy for people to make copies of my best sellers. I'm as guilty as anyone of looking at people's portfolios and thinking "that's a good idea" but I don't like it when people do something too similar.

I've not had too many problems with others, had an idiot abusing me a few years ago but he's just crazy and I know he can't help it. One of his first posts here was an attack on Leaf and that was the end of his first attempt here, then he came back and was banned over and over again. I wasn't the only one to get abuse, some had it much worse than me. The first time it happened, I was angry but then I thought it's silly being angry at something someone has typed on a keyboard. Now I really don't take forum posts too seriously.

I'm not frightened about the sites, I give my honest opinion and sometime try to correct people that I think are just making things up. I think the majority of people that have been banned by the sites for something they have said on a forum have probably gone too far, of course there might be exceptions.

lagereek · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2011, 02:17 »

Quote from: MatHayward on August 08, 2011, 23:04

Quote from: wiser on August 08, 2011, 20:16
2. Do you think less of the posts of people who are anonymous?

It's very difficult for me to take anyone seriously who isn't even willing to sign their name. It seems the anonymous feel empowered to provoke and make personal attacks. It's very difficult for me to respect that.

If you feel confident enough to criticize the work of other photographers it should be a requirement to show your own work. Some of the most vocal, controversial members of this forum I have very serious doubts about whether they have even one photograph available for sale at even one site.

Mat Hayward
Seattle, WA
425-422-0006
www.MatHaywardPhoto.com
www.MHWildlife.com
www.HaywardPhoto.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/mat.hayward

Very NICE pics Matt! cool monochromes!

I agree with you 100%, although I can understand Joannes predicament. As far as Im concerned any forum and perhaps even more so, this forum, is full of members sharing experiences, sharing frustrations and the good and bad, etc.
Isnt it strange then that the ones complaining or pressing ignore buttons are often the ones which are totally anonymous and maybe in order to hide their small ports or whatever?

Ive always maintained and in many forums the rule is: dont like it, dont read it and if you cant take the heat?, then get out.

best.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2011, 03:03 »

Were/are you the Fotolia forum moderator? I find it hard to take criticism or anonymity seriously if it comes from someone linked to an organisation that likes to hunt out people's identities and punish them if they criticise it somewhere on the net. It's like NATO criticising Gadaffi's army for not coming out in the open so it can be blown up with the minimum inconvenience.

If someone wants to be a cheerleader for such an organisation, it is hardly surprising if he/she wants to publish his real name so his chums can see what a good job he is doing for them, is it?

A named cheerleader who might be looking for preferential treatment seems no more credible to me than an anonymous critic who wants to avoid persecution. In both cases there is the possibility of information being distorted to serve a hidden agenda.

I'm not aware of members hiding behind anonymity to "criticise the work of other photographers". Where are the threads launching attacks on the artistic ability of particular people? I can't remember any. Or do you count the owners of Fotolia as photographers and their slashing of artists' commissions as being their "work"?

Quote from: MatHayward on August 08, 2011, 23:04

Quote from: wiser on August 08, 2011, 20:16
2. Do you think less of the posts of people who are anonymous?

It's very difficult for me to take anyone seriously who isn't even willing to sign their name. It seems the anonymous feel empowered to provoke and make personal attacks. It's very difficult for me to respect that.

If you feel confident enough to criticize the work of other photographers it should be a requirement to show your own work. Some of the most vocal, controversial members of this forum I have very serious doubts about whether they have even one photograph available for sale at even one site.

Mat Hayward
Seattle, WA
425-422-0006
www.MatHaywardPhoto.com
www.MHWildlife.com
www.HaywardPhoto.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/mat.hayward

lthn · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2011, 06:39 »

See above, I'd like to keep my speech 'free'.

Ed · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2011, 07:47 »

I am who I am. My name is Ed (really - it's Ed!)

I perceive this as a discussion on the street, or in a cafe, or at a conference. Just because we are on a computer, in different parts of the world, doesn't make a difference to me.

When you strike up a conversation on the street, do you ask people for their ID and a resume before you start talking about the weather, or the economy, or politics or any other random topic? When you talk about politics on the street, do you discredit them if they aren't a politition? When you talk about religion, do you discredit them because they aren't ordained? When you talk about the weather, and they haven't presented you with credentials as a meteorologist, do you tell them they don't know what they're talking about?

I don't - I take people's opinion at face value. I judge them (GASP - someone judging someone else) by what they have to say and how they say it.

That's why you won't find links to my portfolio or my website. Some folks here know who I am and others don't. That's fine with me.

Megastock · « **Reply #15 on:** August 09, 2011, 08:45 »

For me it is pretty simple, I don't really want an internet search on my name to lead to a bunch of forum posts rather than my portfolio or other more relevant content... As for trust - it is the internet, there is no way to know if anything I post is really linked with my claimed name, if my portfolio that is linked is really mine, etc. You have to evaluate comments at face value anyways. If someone links to a stunning portfolio, are you suddenly going to take their advice on how to run your business? I tend to make posts where I can add fact or information, rather than commenting on other people's business or portofolio. I'm not here enough to become known, so what is the point of giving my name? It isn't a secret either, though

velocicarpo · « **Reply #16 on:** August 09, 2011, 08:57 »

Whenever you are endangered of facing possible bad consequences or punishmentes by (in our case) stock companies there occurs an psychological effect which is called "SELF CENSORSHIP".

This means that, in order to protect your name, your reputation or your accounts from getting blocked because of critizizing a Agency (yes, taht happened in the past!) you are tempted not to say what you want to say but ONLY tos ay what does not get you in trouble. This is a well defined psychological symptom and everyone can observe that.

The result is that it is much less likely that the powerful parties in a game, even if their actions are questionable, get less attacked and therefore more powerful.
Anonymity is protecting free speech.

Sure there are lots of anomymous accounts that talk bu*****it. But from my point of view I value all post depending on their content. A real name account may lose credibility because he is tempted to say only what he thinks people want to hear. An anonymous account may lose credibility because he can claim anything without prove. It doesn`t matter. The argument is what counts.

kaycee · « **Reply #17 on:** August 09, 2011, 08:58 »

I choose to use my "artist name" (I use this name already when I was a teenager)
it's a combination of my initials KC and pronounce in a American way: Kaycee .
My real full name is very hard to use on the Internet because with the search engines around, they only find santa claus if you know what I mean.

wiser · « **Reply #18 on:** August 09, 2011, 09:15 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on August 08, 2011, 22:41

Quote from: wiser on August 08, 2011, 20:16
I was harassed by another member

shank ain´t here anymore

It was not him, but someone who is just as two-faced and/or schizophrenic.

wiser · « **Reply #19 on:** August 09, 2011, 09:36 »

Thank you for some concise and thoughtful answers from both sides of the aisle.

I rarely post about sales or statistics. I don't give advice or share my knowledge of the nuances of the microstock business, as I have very little. I have a microscopic portfolio and and I am a part-part-timer.

However, I will post about my human experience, as it relates to this business. No matter the size of your port or the sales that you have achieved I think that one should always be able to comment and express an honest, non-baiting, opinion without being shut-down by some who come right out and tell you, "you are small potatoes, your opinion holds no weight". I think that is elitism and just plain rude. You can disagree with me and tell me why, but being a small-timer is not a good enough reason, IMO.

I read voraciously the posts of those who have been around forever and are making a living in this crazy business. I roll my eyes at the trolls, but even trolls have a place, as I feel their roles are to keep my perspectives in check, and to not behave like them.

Hope some more folks post on this topic.

I really enjoy this forum, there is often some real debate here and without censorship, and I like reading it. Keep it coming.

grp_photo · « **Reply #20 on:** August 09, 2011, 10:28 »

I would never hide behind an anonymous mask, it is alway me - GRP

Sadstock · « **Reply #21 on:** August 09, 2011, 10:29 »

Generally I stay anonymous to avoid retaliation from agencies. I would never have posted the list of partner sites if the agencies knew who I was as there is no telling how they would have responded. http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/a-list-of-partner-programs/

Also there is a trend for some here and in the IS forums to judge the value of a comment by the size and content of the commenter’s portfolio, rather than the comment itself. Sure depending on the topic, portfolio might provide useful insight, but in the balance I think it provides very little of value and it frequently side-tracks an otherwise useful thread.

The downside is no referrals. When I went independent, I used referral links found here from posters who shared useful info as a way to give back to them.

TheSmilingAssassin · « **Reply #22 on:** August 09, 2011, 10:49 »

lisafx · « **Reply #23 on:** August 09, 2011, 10:57 »

I see anonymity as a valuable tool here. It is the best way to get honest opinions. I post as myself, but have, on occasion, posted anonymously too.

Considering JoAnn's and Pseudonymous' experiences of being banned from a site and stalked by a site admin (respectively) it is perfectly reasonable to want to protect oneself when posting an opinion that is critical of the agencies.

Most folks here aren't that anonymous anyway. After awhile it is pretty easy to figure out who the regular posters are.

Quote from: kaycee on August 09, 2011, 08:58

I choose to use my "artist name" (I use this name already when I was a teenager)
it's a combination of my initials KC and pronounce in a American way: Kaycee .
My real full name is very hard to use on the Internet because with the search engines around, they only find santa claus if you know what I mean.

Oh my! Seriously?!! That's your name? Cool! I though it was bad having a common name like "Lisa Young", but you have me beat

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Author Topic: Why are you anonymous? (Read 28208 times)

wiser

cascoly

Jo Ann Snover

luissantos84

MatHayward

luissantos84

TheSmilingAssassin

MatHayward

Perry

TheSmilingAssassin

sharpshot

lagereek

BaldricksTrousers

lthn

Ed

Megastock

velocicarpo

kaycee

wiser

wiser

grp_photo

Sadstock

TheSmilingAssassin

lisafx

MatHayward

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