# Beware of Doug, Flickr Stalkr **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 27, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-of-doug-flickr-stalkr/350022 "2006-03-27T01:53:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-of-doug-flickr-stalkr/350022/1 "2006-03-27T01:53:14Z")
I had some time to kill yesterday afternoon after uploading a few new snaps to [Flickr.com](http://Flickr.com). I happened upon some nice cat pictures, and before I knew it, I was deep in the photo archive of kitty’s human, who turned out to be a rather lovely woman with a keen eye for modern art, pop irony and, uh, other women. Anyway, she had hundreds of shots, many of wry and amusing topics, and in the space of 20 minutes or so, I probably left a dozen or more short, flippant, not flagrantly offensive, but very possibly impertinent and uncalled-for comments. So tell me, [Flickr.com](http://Flickr.com) users: how much commenting on one stranger’s pictures is too much? How would you feel if some random smartass bombed in and began surfing your stream - public though it may be - basically for hi/r own amusement? Would it matter if they were basically inoffensive? How about if they were funny as hell? (I’ve been called that. Honest I have. :D) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-of-doug-flickr-stalkr/350022/2 "2006-03-27T02:30:56Z")
Flickr just reinforces my decision to not get back into photography. Some of these shots are just…wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![jakeline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@jakeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakeline)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-of-doug-flickr-stalkr/350022/3 "2006-03-27T02:31:51Z")
Why would I make [my pictures](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakeline/) public on flickr if I didn’t want people to look at them and comment on them? I certainly wouldn’t be offended at all, and I do really like it when people comment, even if it’s a totally random comment. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-of-doug-flickr-stalkr/350022/4 "2006-03-27T18:41:51Z")
Yabbut: your pix are of nice things like nature and Disneyland and your family. I’d have to be a pretty miserable SOB to post smart alec comments about those. Her pix are of bitey, satirical art and lesbians and things in the people-might-take-it-the-wrong-way zone. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-of-doug-flickr-stalkr/350022/5 "2006-03-27T18:52:33Z")
I was a flickerite for several months, dropping big chunks of $$ to buy camera & accessories so I could “learn photography”. I got involved in groups, made friends, etc., but after awhile I realized that the site and the whole social thing is pretty shallow. Favorite photos all began to look alike, and so many members are just attention whores. I eventually committed flickercide. ---
**Author:** ![jakeline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@jakeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakeline)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-of-doug-flickr-stalkr/350022/6 "2006-03-28T20:09:46Z")
Actually, the idea of someone posting smart alec-y remarks about my pictures of my family and Disneyland is phenomenally hilarious and tickles me to no end. Maybe it’s just me – I have an admittedly odd sense of humor. I really do believe though, that the basis of flickr is that if you don’t want your pictures to be commented on by strange individuals, don’t make them public. **Brightpenny** , I can totally see where you’re coming from regarding the social scene being shallow. I personally participate in very few groups because they can seem to be overly politicized or cliquish. I just go on there to look at the pretty pictures and get some ideas for what I’m shooting next. I have no illusions about learning too many new techniques from flickr, but it does help me solidify what I do and don’t like in photographs. I hope that you’re getting a chance to put your expensive gear to use, though!