Please No (Hard) Drug Avatars

[AltcoinInvestor]

I only see shattered glass on this guy's avatar. What the hell are you talking about?

[Blazr]

I only see shattered glass on this guy's avatar. What the hell are you talking about?

Thats what we're talking about, the glass.

[dewdeded]

I am going to block it. Thanks for all the good wishes.

Additionally, there is a another untalked-of effect: it advertises hard drugs (in this example meth) to young kids or other easily manipulative people.
(Even with very clever disclaimers like: "I DO NOT CONSENT". :-P)  

---> It was just a friendly suggestion to improve the forum (rules).
[No try to censorship anything or "forcing views".]

Thank you.

[hilariousetc]

I am going to block it. Thanks for all the good wishes.

Blocking is the best solution, though hopefully in the new forum we will be able to ignore individual avatars so you won't need to block the entire user or turn off all avatars.

Additionally, there is a another untalked-of effect: it advertises hard drugs (in this example meth) to young kids or other easily manipulative people.

I don't really buy this. A kid isn't going to see an image of what he probably thinks is glass and suddenly subliminally think yum, drugs, I must buy some crystal meth. Even if they new what it was I doubt it'd make them interested in trying it but we can't be responsible for nannying everyone and if you've got kids that's up to the parents to effectively police though sheltering them from everything will probably do them more harm than good in the long run.

[Grand_Voyageur]

...

Simple solution:
1. Install Adblock Plus (most have this already installed).
2. Right-click on offending avatar.
3. Choose "Block element" from the menu.
5. Problem solved; other avatars unaffected.

I'll do it for sure. My questions were about understanding what NSFL was. I got some of it...but, my post about it you partially capture with screenshot was deleted.

[untel]

I get it, but I think you should see it as a step in the right direction. If this hasn't triggered a relapse it means you are to the point where you are strong enough to see this and keep in control. Each time you see it it will be easier and that is progress. I think your recovery should ultimately not depend on you never being exposed to the substance in any way as it will happens from time to time even if you try to avoid it. There is things you don't have control over, but how you react to them is entirely yours. Good luck, what you are doing is hard and you get my respect for giving it your best.

[merve10495]

Interesting topic...  I had no idea avatars had such powers.

A local marketing company (name I won't release on here) did a study into anti-meth ads.
We had recovered meth addicts and current meth addicts together watching the videos (in separate sessions). The ads they were shown was a serious series of short 'anti-meth' ads which were suitable and ready to be published on television.

The test came to a halt because the videos of meth was and is enough to trigger a recovered addicts behaviors. We found this out because a group of them locked themselves in our bathrooms and decided to give into their cravings. (This set off the smoke alarms)

So yes. Images (and videos) even Anti-images are enough to trigger a reaction. They have huge power.

Please consider changing your avatar.

[hilariousandco]

Interesting topic...  I had no idea avatars had such powers.

A local marketing company (name I won't release on here) did a study into anti-meth ads.
We had recovered meth addicts and current meth addicts together watching the videos (in separate sessions). The ads they were shown was a serious series of short 'anti-meth' ads which were suitable and ready to be published on television.

The test came to a halt because the videos of meth was and is enough to trigger a recovered addicts behaviors. We found this out because a group of them locked themselves in our bathrooms and decided to give into their cravings. (This set off the smoke alarms).

Where did these so-called 'recovering' addicts suddenly get their meth from? I don't buy this. I think if they were that weak or susceptible to their cravings it wouldn't take them much to relapse anyway. Why can't you name the marketing company?

[HostFat]

The addiction is a failure of a minority.
It's not good thing to limit our freedom of speech because of a failure of a minority.

You can ask it, but you can't exact.

If you don't like it, then use adblock.


My next avatar

[Mt. Gox]

Interesting topic...  I had no idea avatars had such powers.

A local marketing company (name I won't release on here) did a study into anti-meth ads.
We had recovered meth addicts and current meth addicts together watching the videos (in separate sessions). The ads they were shown was a serious series of short 'anti-meth' ads which were suitable and ready to be published on television.

The test came to a halt because the videos of meth was and is enough to trigger a recovered addicts behaviors. We found this out because a group of them locked themselves in our bathrooms and decided to give into their cravings. (This set off the smoke alarms)

So yes. Images (and videos) even Anti-images are enough to trigger a reaction. They have huge power.

Please consider changing your avatar.

This is interesting. I always thought part of overcoming addiction was confronting your addiction. Where I'm from, advertisements for alcoholic beverages are shown on TV and supermarkets can openly sell beer and wine seemingly without regard to the possible effect this might have on recovering alcoholics. However, I'm not sure if their needs should take precedence over the majority of society. Banning these practices would probably inconvenience quite a lot of people and the same probably applies here. An overly restrictive avatar policy could conceivably cause more harm than good.

[forlackofabettername]

It is unfortunate that any avatar causes negative feelings, but I don't want to censor avatars that are offensive/disturbing to only a small minority of forum members. Many people will be negatively affected by many different images, and while banning each individual thing might not be a big deal, banning them all would make the avatar rules uncomfortably restrictive, I think.

Very well said. Because what happens next is the feminists come in here and let all sexist (read: boobs, asses, pretty women) avatars remove. Next you'll have the christians ask for removal of blasphemious pictures. And then the muslims walk in and demand the forum to be closed completely because it's against the Qoran...


-> adblock

[Vod]

Next you'll have the christians ask for removal of blasphemious pictures. And then the muslims walk in and demand the forum to be closed completely because it's against the Qoran...

In other words, religion, religion, religion.

I think this forum is beyond religious influence.  Or at least I hope....