Facebook campaigns (changing profile pics to favorite cartoon chars)

[knowledge_of_self]

I thought I'd start this topic about this new fad going around people changing their profile pics on facebook to cartoon characters in order to raise awareness about violence to children. A lot of people are doing it- and I then I saw this comment on one of my friend's profiles

WARNING!!A group asking everyone to change their profile picture to a cartoon
character is actually a group of pedophiles. They are doing it because
kids will accept their friend request faster if they see a cartoon pic.
It's nothing to do with supporting a campaign against child violence.
...Itwas on TV and it’s on tonight's news. Put this on your status to warn
everyone and to get them to change back

So I decided to do some research and find out if there is any truth to it and it doesn't seem so. Here is a few things I found

_http://www.thatsnonsense.com/view.php?id=1124

and

_http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/2010/12/facebook-hoax-facebook-cartoon-profile.html?spref=fb

Now, I personally usually do have a cartoon char for my profile pic just cuz of privacy issues- so I didn't change mine for this movement. But I started to think about this whole thing is actually pretty interesting.

I think it's interesting how many people have actually changed their profile pic to cartoon characters because of this- now some people are asking, how exactly does this help raise awareness? And perhaps it does because people will go and google about it just as the lady in the video was saying. But it really does put a perspective of how networking on facebook is such a phenomenon in a way. Thousands of people are literally doing this change of profile pic, just cause their friends did it and not even researching about it. And now thousands of people are posting the above comment, about it being a whole pedo scam without researching anything. It just boggles my mind really.

I think facebook campaigns are general information gathering and a bit of psychological testing. What does everyone here think of this?

 

[melatonin]

Pedo's on facebook? Who would of guessed! Sorry for the sarcasm, but who in their right mind would let their children join such a parasite of a website is beyond me.
And yeah.... its all about testing the masses and seeing how people react to different situations.
And brainwashing people.
For example - A few years ago people in UK were in in arms about the invasion of Iraq - "wheres teh weapons of mass destruction?!".

So within 5 years Facebook becomes near enough a religion, and theres loads of groups that are for 'honouring our war heroes' blar blar bull-sh*t.
Now alot of people forget we shouldnt of entered iraq in the first place.

 

[Tigersoap]

I just want to add that there is for many people,me included I am afraid, a false sense of acting for something just by changing your avatar or clicking some facebook cause for Palestine, and forget about it just afterwards.
I read an interesting article about this but I can't recall where or who wrote it.
I am not saying that this cannot have a positive impact into shedding light onto certain issues but if it's not punctuated by real actions it may just be another lullaby for our conscience imho.

 

[abstract]

I am not saying that this cannot have a positive impact into shedding light onto certain issues but if it's not punctuated by real actions it may just be another lullaby for our conscience imho.

That's kind of what I was thinking about. As we speak, psychopaths are running amok. Does anything change in this world because we change our profile pics? Nope-a-rooskee. It's like this program they had at my high-school. They wanted people to cut the tags off the clothing they bought from companies that use sweatshop labor, and send the tags to the companies. (as some sort of "we don't like this" statement) Great idea, except they didn't factor in the fact that 99% of american highschoolers have no clue that sweatshops even exist.

I could go on and on, just to rant about all things similar, but really, what's the root problem in society? Where'd it start? Psychopaths. Some of these programs that people try to run are little more than what tylenol is to a headache. Might help short term,
doesn't solve the underlying issue.

 

[RyanX]

I think it's interesting how many people have actually changed their profile pic to cartoon characters because of this- now some people are asking, how exactly does this help raise awareness?

This is interesting.

I thought about changing my profile pic to a cartoon character, but then decided against it. The main reason was is that I'm kind of embarrassed by some of the cartoons I liked as a kid (for instance, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - what was I thinking!). Plus, I couldn't understand how showing a cartoon character could raise awareness for violence against children. Many cartoons (especially anything made after the mid 80's) generally have a lot of violence in them. Usually the violence in these cartoons isn't directed at children, but I wouldn't hold cartoons up on a pedestal as the symbol of a less-violent society. At least that was my reasoning at the time.

 

[rsnedaker]

I didn't change my profile picture, but I got a facebook message from Claude Allen with "American's not for Sarah Palin" that says, "How is changing your profile picture a campaign to stop child abuse? If you're really concerned, donate to an NGO, volunteer your time, or support increased public spending for social services. If you really want to raise awareness, start by not placating your own conscience."

When I heard what the cartoon characters where all about I asked the same question. I don't buy that it is helpful, instead of sending love & light or praying everyone's changing their profile picture to the thing we got programed with as children......where the good guys always won. I don't think so...

 

[knowledge_of_self]

I am not saying that this cannot have a positive impact into shedding light onto certain issues but if it's not punctuated by real actions it may just be another lullaby for our conscience imho.

That's kind of what I was thinking about. As we speak, psychopaths are running amok. Does anything change in this world because we change our profile pics? Nope-a-rooskee. It's like this program they had at my high-school. They wanted people to cut the tags off the clothing they bought from companies that use sweatshop labor, and send the tags to the companies. (as some sort of "we don't like this" statement) Great idea, except they didn't factor in the fact that 99% of american highschoolers have no clue that sweatshops even exist.

We had the same thing in my school when I was younger, and I remember thinking- taking a tag off some brand name item you payed way too much money for doesn't change that it was still probably made in a sweatshop. It doesn't change ANYTHING!

The other thing that got me, was that whole breast cancer awareness thing on Facebook- people putting in their stats what color bra they are wearing. Or where they like to put their purse or whatever. I seriously didn't get how that raises any form of awareness about breast cancer. How about STOP EATING GLUTEN, STOP EATING DAIRY AND SUGARS! STOP EATING MCDONALDS & FAST FOOD, CHANGE YOUR DIETS! And raise your awareness about how your diet effects your health and what actually causes these cancers. It sometimes makes me furious. So I hear you!

I could go on and on, just to rant about all things similar, but really, what's the root problem in society? Where'd it start? Psychopaths. Some of these programs that people try to run are little more than what tylenol is to a headache. Might help short term,
doesn't solve the underlying issue.

I couldn't agree more. I think raising awareness about what is at the core of all this 'violence' and all other things messed up -psychopaths- is key.

Maybe we should make a raise awareness about psychopathy campain on FB- and change our profile pics to V for vendetta or something ;D Sad thing is it would probably work at reaching people.

Seriousness aside for a moment...

The main reason was is that I'm kind of embarrassed by some of the cartoons I liked as a kid (for instance, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - what was I thinking!).

What are you talking about dude? Teenage mutant ninja turtles was awesome! :P

 

[Masamune]

I did change my profile picture to a cartoon on facebook. Like everyone else I thought that this new campaign will do very little to actually help children who are victims of violence. Personally I think that it is just another silly little way to express yourself on facebook and be a part of the community. I don't see any harm in it but it may help to show that we are normal people and don't take ourselves too seriously.

And to RyanX, I chose a different cartoon but my second choice would have been the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That was a great show!

 

[doublea1535]

That people would do anything at all, even spend the 10 seconds it takes to change their profile picture, shows something I think. It shows that the message of stopping child abuse resonates within many people. But the problem is that they do some small trivial act that placates their conscience, as ReBecca.S's post stated, and stop there. There. I did something. I made some hollow gesture, now back to "real life". It reminds me of chain emails, where all you have to do is forward the message to 10 people and God/Bill Gates/whoever will take note and reward you for it. The momentum that lies behind them, that so many people are doing it, seems to be the main reason why others do it. Herd mentality in action. In the old-school email chains, you would typically see the dozens and dozens of other people who had already done it, so that adds a false value to the action/idea. In Facebook you can see how many other people are doing it, by way of group membership or noticing that your "friends" picture has changed.

To counter it directly, I can see only reaching out to specific individuals who are your Facebook friends and sharing the same message that ReBecca.S's post stated. Something non-confrontational, something that points out the stupidity of the gesture.

 

[knowledge_of_self]

More MSM covering this story:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1336163/Facebook-cartoon-campaign-smokescreen-paedophiles.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

 

[Seraphina]

I did change my pic...just for a bit of fun nostalgia...not that I really thought it would make a difference in child abuse. Then the warning started spreading, I looked it up, and found it was just another meme, so I posted that...and links to let everyone know it was BS...kinda funny how this was received by some. A bunch were saying the pedophile thing made since and immediately removed their cartoon...some were even posting links that they though backed up the pedophile story, but clearly didn't. I asked if they even read it...that post or comment including the link was deleted. I mean it was just like downright hysteria. People posting that they heard it on Snopes or ABC, but there was nothing there at the time, I checked. The next day there was finally an article on snopes denouncing the whole rumor.

It was hilarious in a disturbing sort of way, if that makes sense.

 

[Smallwood]

I just want to add that there is for many people,me included I am afraid, a false sense of acting for something just by changing your avatar or clicking some facebook cause for Palestine, and forget about it just afterwards.
I read an interesting article about this but I can't recall where or who wrote it.
I am not saying that this cannot have a positive impact into shedding light onto certain issues but if it's not punctuated by real actions it may just be another lullaby for our conscience imho.

Wise words (if only more people, me included, could live up to it atleast some of the time).

This reminds me that I've been meaning to send some 50 euros Sott's way but largely due to hospital bills, which even with social services support aren't cheap for someone who lives with 400 euros per month, I haven't been able to do. As soon as the latest one from last month is out of the way I will be sending it.

 

[Seamus]

I think facebook campaigns are general information gathering and a bit of psychological testing. What does everyone here think of this?

I agree. Or at least, those who know what to look for could learn alot. I was just reading an article about conformity and thought of this thread.

A classic study from the 30s by social psychologist Muzafer Sherif illustrated the dynamics of informational influence. Taking advantage of the autokinetic effect--the fact that a dot of light in a dark room appears to the eye to be moving--Sherif placed subjects in a dark room and told them to watch a tiny dot of light and report how far it moved. People who watched the dot alone made their own judgment--usually between 2 and 6 inches. Asked to repeat the task in groups and consult amongst themselves, they compromised. People who made individual judgments between 2 and 6 inches as a group compromised at around 4 inches. When Sherif asked subjects directly if they were influenced by others' judgments, most denied it. Later, when subjects were tested one at a time, most now conformed to the group judgment they had recently made. Informational cues are internalized as private acceptance.

So we use others to figure out what's going on. This can be a very good thing. Consultation, compromise, education, and information exchange are the levers of civilization. Cumulative data from the many can solve bigger problems, just like the cumulative physical effort can move heavier obstacles.

Informational cues, however, can also mislead us. Two quite random examples will illustrate: The 1938 Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio broadcast about an alien invasion led to panic because many people who missed the beginning of the broadcast turned to each other to find out what was going on, misinforming each other. A recent stampede on a bridge in Cambodia that resulted in more than 350 deaths was blamed on the fact that many of the rural people present did not know it is normal for a hanging bridge to sway slightly. Throughout history, bad information gleaned from ill informed, deluded, or malevolent others has been responsible for many a military, financial and personal calamity.

If all of your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump off the bridge? If all of your friends change their profile pictures to cartoon characters, would you change your picture too?

These sorts of campaigns certainly exploit the need to "fit in" and be part of a group, whether it is for marketing purposes or for more nefarious purposes.

Maybe we should make a raise awareness about psychopathy campain on FB- and change our profile pics to V for vendetta or something ;D Sad thing is it would probably work at reaching people.

There's also this from the article:

In fact, effective nonconformity is in itself a group phenomenon. Psychological research from Asch's to Milgram's has shown time and again that, quite ironically, the presence of allies is the best predictor of nonconformist behavior. Our individual courage is a manifestation of group convictions and affiliations. The visible courageous individual is but the tip of a social iceberg. When you go against the group, you do it not on your own, but in the name--and with the backing--of another group. In other words, we can't avoid conformity. What we can do is raise our own consciousness and become more aware of conformity cues. Then we can try to find good information and the right allies who will help protect us from ourselves.

I think a V for Vendetta profile picture campaign might not be such a bad idea. It could be a fun experiment to see how it spreads. I don't know if it would be a dangerous experiment though, if it would "out" members of this group on facebook so to speak. There would have to be a little "post this on your fb profile and change your picture to V for Vendetta and tune into this week's SoTT report" (or something to that effect) message, that seems to be how these things work.

 

[Seraphina]

I think facebook campaigns are general information gathering and a bit of psychological testing. What does everyone here think of this?

I do think there's some psychological testing...on top of that, I think it's funny that my sister's ex, who happens to be in intelligence, called Facebook a "social experiment".

FWIW I think the "V" profile pic thing sounds fun