# testing avatar **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 13, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370 "2020-01-13T21:40:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/1 "2020-01-13T21:40:56Z")
testing ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/2 "2020-01-13T21:57:15Z")
Looks good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/3 "2020-01-13T22:03:37Z")
Good!! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/4 "2020-01-13T22:21:14Z")
Um, you’re showing a lot more than a peanut head there, pal. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/5 "2020-01-13T23:39:39Z")
I see an elephant lying on his back. And wearing a hat. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/6 "2020-01-14T05:21:20Z")
I see somebody’s trademark. Is that allowed here? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/7 "2020-01-14T17:03:58Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I see somebody’s trademark. Is that allowed here? Good point. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/8 "2020-01-14T18:10:17Z")
“Avatar” was definitely testing my patience. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/9 "2020-01-14T18:30:54Z")
Is there a reasonable likelihood that we could mistake the poster **Peanuthead** for an official representative of the Planters Snack Company? If not, then there’s no trademark problem. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/10 "2020-01-15T18:44:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is there a reasonable likelihood that we could mistake the poster **Peanuthead** for an official representative of the Planters Snack Company? If not, then there’s no trademark problem. Does this mean the board administration believes there is little likelihood that visitor could make that mistake? We all know how reasonable a company’s legal representatives can be. Then, there are the copyright issues. Surely Mr. Peanut has the same copyright protections as, say Mickey Mouse. Personally, I find the avatar cute, fitting, and appropriate, given the screenname. I am just a bit surprised a moderator would give tactic approval to what is surely a copyright violation, if not also a trademark infringement. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/11 "2020-01-15T23:22:12Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > Personally, I find the avatar cute, fitting, and appropriate, given the screenname. I am just a bit surprised a moderator would give tactic approval to what is surely a copyright violation, if not also a trademark infringement. What copyright or trademark laws are being violated? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/12 "2020-01-16T02:54:33Z")
Uh-oh! Am I in trouble? If there is a problem I’ll delete it. It was just the first username/photo combination I thought of when searching for an appropriate avatar. I guess a jar of Skippy peanut butter would be troublesome as well? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/13 "2020-01-16T03:17:05Z")
Don’t be ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/14 "2020-01-16T04:04:03Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Don’t be ridiculous. Trademark phrase of Balki Bartakumous :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/15 "2020-01-16T05:44:41Z")
I’m guessing this would fall under “fair use”. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/16 "2020-01-16T06:01:34Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Uh-oh! Am I in trouble? If there is a problem I’ll delete it. It was just the first username/photo combination I thought of when searching for an appropriate avatar. I guess a jar of Skippy peanut butter would be troublesome as well? If you change your avatar now, it would legally be an admission of guilt and used against you in a court of law. I’m just making this up but IT COULD BE TRUE! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/17 "2020-01-16T11:43:21Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Uh-oh! Am I in trouble? No, you’re not in trouble. Message board avatars generally fall under fair use, or are generally ignored by copyright owners. I personally have never heard of anyone receiving a takedown notice for a message board avatar. Theoretically I suppose it could happen, but in the real world it’s usually not an issue. We haven’t had avatars enabled for all that long, but we haven’t received any sort of takedown notices yet, and there are plenty of users who have images of copyrighted works or trademarked characters. In the unlikely event that we do receive a takedown notice we’ll remove your avatar and you will be free to choose another. Until that happens, don’t worry about it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/18 "2020-01-16T14:41:09Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > No, you’re not in trouble. > > Message board avatars generally fall under fair use, or are generally ignored by copyright owners. I personally have never heard of anyone receiving a takedown notice for a message board avatar. Theoretically I suppose it could happen, but in the real world it’s usually not an issue. > > We haven’t had avatars enabled for all that long, but we haven’t received any sort of takedown notices yet, and there are plenty of users who have images of copyrighted works or trademarked characters. In the unlikely event that we do receive a takedown notice we’ll remove your avatar and you will be free to choose another. Until that happens, don’t worry about it. Pixar’s attorney on line 2 for you, ECG. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/19 "2020-01-16T14:43:35Z")
On my phone, Mr. Peanut has packed on about 150 lbs. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing-avatar/846370/20 "2020-01-16T20:35:30Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > “Avatar” was definitely testing my patience. 😉 Wait — Blackwolf? Is that you? 😉