# Posting pictures in custom license thread **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 29, 2024, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301 "2024-12-29T15:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/21 "2025-01-02T21:46:05Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It is like posting a picture of a non-public person and calling them out. Sure, in public in a crowd, thats one thing, but this is like posting a picture one some person and giving their na,e and state. The license plate pictures don’t include names and I think that makes a big difference. See if you can find a way to come up with your name, using only the information available from a picture of the back of your car. > [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Joey\_P](#): > > > > Other states may reveal more information, but again, it’s already out there. > > It is but only if you happen to be in that state at that moment in time. here it is available worldwide for a long time. I’m not sure what you mean by that. To clarify, what I was saying is that maybe in some states you can search the DMV’s website for a plate number and get a name. In Wisconsin, you just get the make and year of the car. No name, no address. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/22 "2025-01-02T21:57:25Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’m not sure what you mean by that. Let me clarify. Let’s see you see a fun licence. Okay, you and others in that same area, same state can see it. Now, if spread here, everyone in every nation can see it. So, yeah, just the number is okay, but why share a picture? Why do we need to do that? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/23 "2025-01-03T13:05:45Z")
We don’t _need_ any of it. . The threads in which people discuss license plates don’t need to be started and if they are, people don’t need to post in them. The SDMB doesn’t _need_ to exist. All of it is optional. People want it. Insofar as ‘need’ requires qualification, I think it’s more useful to ask why do we need to prevent or forbid any particular thing. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/24 "2025-01-03T21:32:03Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > All of it is optional. People want it. I Yes, people want to hear about fun licence plates- but they dont need to see the car also. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/25 "2025-01-03T22:39:09Z")
They don’t need either though. Certainly there is a level of additional un-necessary-ness to the photo, but the whole thing is unnecessary. Why do we _need_ to **not** have the photo, is the question that needs answering. ‘It’s not strictly necessary’ isn’t much of an answer, because none of it is necessary. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/26 "2025-01-03T22:41:58Z")
Barring a good reason to not show the photos, there is no need to moderate this or add a rule. This is turning into an argument for the sake of arguing to my eyes. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2025, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/27 "2025-01-04T11:10:24Z")
No it isn’t ! 😁 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2025, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/28 "2025-01-04T11:29:48Z")
I’m not disputing the Mod action 2 posts up. But ISTM that _if_ what we now have is a ruling that there won’t be a rule or prohibition on posting license plate pics, _then_ what we now have left here is a debate / bicker about the specific harm of license picture posting and the general question of where the line is between posting about 3rd parties vs doxxing them. Not as a matter of Board policy, but just as a matter of right / wrong or of personal taste. Which debate / bicker IMO belongs in a different category. Which in turn suggests to me that this thread has run its course and ought be closed with the participants invited to debate / bicker / rant / pit one another about the topic elsewhere as they will. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301/29 "2025-01-05T17:58:03Z")
I agree, that if the decision is that no rule or guideline is needed, then the discussion should be moved elsewhere. It appears that the general consensus is that you are not revealing much by showing a picture since by itself it does not provide much information about the person. My feeling was based on what I have heard from people being stalked as to how the stalkers scour the web for information; however, at the same time, someone above mentioned that right now there is not a good way to search for content on images and text searches would reveal more results. In any case, I am OK with letting the matter rest. It was a question I had in my mind after participation in the linked thread myself. Maybe it was irrational, whenever you encounter anything you come at it from your own experience which colors how you perceive it. `//i\\` [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-pictures-in-custom-license-thread/1012301.md?page=1)