# Is your Facebook profile picture a current photo of you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 23, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517 "2010-05-23T23:06:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/81 "2010-05-25T03:55:55Z")
Yes, although it’s a few months old. I tend to change mine every few months and 99% of the time it’s a picture of me. ---
**Author:** ![Layla01](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/layla01/32/15552_2.png) [@Layla01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Layla01)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/82 "2010-05-25T13:04:50Z")
Yes, it’s a couple of years old. I rarely have good pics of me so when I get one I tend to hang onto it. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/83 "2010-05-26T11:35:27Z")
Mine is a picture of my husband and me on our honeymoon… about 6 months ago. Decent looking picture, too. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/84 "2010-05-26T12:38:27Z")
After getting negative comments that my hair is too long, I took it down and now it’s the Myspace logo. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/85 "2010-05-26T13:34:49Z")
It’s a picture of me, taken last autumn; my face is in it, but not seen all that clearly since I’m standing at some distance from the camera with a scenic background behind me–a misty valley and some mountains in northern Wales. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/86 "2010-05-26T14:25:24Z")
I’ve only ever used one photo. It’s a picture of me, but it’s with my back to the camera, so none of the options really fit. It’s a good picture of the scenery, though, which is why I used it. ---
**Author:** ![Sonnenstrahl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Sonnenstrahl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonnenstrahl)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/87 "2010-05-26T16:51:31Z")
I have a picture of a [cat nun](http://www.tvbabble.com/userimages/user2448_1165288201.jpg) from _Doctor Who_. My friends who know I’m obsessed with nuns (in a scholarly way) and love cats think it’s hilarious. The people who don’t know probably aren’t looking at my profile. It helps that I appear to be the only person with my name in the world, so anyone looking for me wouldn’t need a photo to guide them. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/88 "2010-05-26T17:02:26Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > I think there are two primary reasons why people do not put a current picture of themselves as their profile pic on facebook. > > 1. They are concerned about internet privacy issues and don’t put any pictures of themselves on the web, or… > > 2. They are insecure about their current appearance and don’t want people from their past to see what they look like now. 1. Or just getting silly with it; in the last few months, mine has been a piece of my tartan for Tartan Day in April, a ridiculously cute picture of my dog, and currently it’s the cover of The Official Preppy Handbook, just for fun. It’ll probably change shortly as soon as I get a decent pic of myself with my new glasses. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/89 "2010-05-26T17:11:16Z")
I change my picture fairly often. One in the rotation is very nearly current. The one I think looks most like me is about 5 years old now. The others are me as a kid, related to my work, or some image chosen to entertain the people I believe ever actually look at those sorts of things. ---
**Author:** ![jlasserton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c5a1d2/32.png) [@jlasserton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jlasserton)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/90 "2010-05-26T17:17:53Z")
I change my picture usually each season. Each season I usually take a trip or do something fun, so I take pictures during those times. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/91 "2010-05-26T21:29:45Z")
I don’t have any pictures at all on Facebook, nor anything else that isn’t absolutely required. I don’t use it that often for one thing, don’t have any digital pics of myself for another, and am apparently not clever enough to come up with an alternative image (like a cartoon dog or a platypus or Antonio Banderas or something). I’m pretty lame. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/92 "2010-05-26T23:32:15Z")
No. My facebook photo is a pic of one of my dogs yawning. Why? Because it’s a cool pic. Also, as a pale redhead who does not wear makeup, I do not photograph well so the only good picture I have of my face is from 1997. I could put on some makeup so my features don’t disappear in the glowie paleness but I really just don’t care enough. Besides, my puppies will always be cuter than me. Oh and there’s no chance in hell that someone else has the same name so if you find me, you were looking for me. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/93 "2010-05-27T16:17:22Z")
Yes. It’s a picture of me charging my power ring. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/94 "2010-05-27T18:32:59Z")
> [@capybara](#): > > 1. There are a million other more interesting/amusing things to use as profile pics that can communicate more about a person than a mere portrait. Or so those people would like us to believe. 3) There are a million other more interesting/amusing things to use as profile pics that can communicate more about a person than a mere portrait. (aka see #2) ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/95 "2010-05-27T18:37:58Z")
> [@Katriona](#): > > 1. Or just getting silly with it; in the last few months, mine has been a piece of my tartan for Tartan Day in April, a ridiculously cute picture of my dog, and currently it’s the cover of The Official Preppy Handbook, just for fun. It’ll probably change shortly as soon as I get a decent pic of myself with my new glasses. I think this is a good distinction for a choice #3. There are definitely some people who NEVER post a picture of themselves (even if it IS because “here are a million other more interesting/amusing things to use as profile pics that can communicate more about a person than a mere portrait”). However that is the difference. I change pictures on these things when the mood strikes. USUALLY it’s a different picture of me. Slightly less usually it’s a current picture of me. However at various times I’ve had pictures of me as a teenager, etc. Currently on facebook I have a picture of my daughters. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/96 "2010-05-27T18:49:41Z")
Me in my riding leathers with my motorcycle from about 6 months ago. Of course, with the whole motorcycle in the pic, there’s not enough detail for me to be anyone but generic amused biker dude. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/97 "2010-05-27T22:56:42Z")
Nope. It’s a picture of my Italian mastiff mix. I think it’s a pretty shot and I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517/98 "2010-05-27T23:21:13Z")
> [@FallenAngel](#): > > Nope. It’s a picture of my Italian mastiff mix. I think it’s a pretty shot and I like it. Show us your doggie! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-facebook-profile-picture-a-current-photo-of-you/540517.md?page=4)