Commitment to your avatar!

[Vod]

I posted this idea as a joke in another thread, but the more I think about it, the better it feels.

People notice avatars before they notice the username.  Avatars can speak louder to your identity than usernames.

I propose modifying the size of the avatar based on the last time it was updated.

Maybe have new avatars at 50% of the current size, getting larger as time passes.  Change your avatar, and you go down to the small size.

This way, a person trying to impersonate another user through a similar username and identical avatar would not be successful.

[Muhammed Zakir]

I posted this idea as a joke in another thread, but the more I think about it, the better it feels.

People notice avatars before they notice the username.  Avatars can speak louder to your identity than usernames.

I propose modifying the size of the avatar based on the last time it was updated.

Maybe have new avatars at 50% of the current size, getting larger as time passes.  Change your avatar, and you go down to the small size.

This way, a person trying to impersonate another user through a similar username and identical avatar would not be successful.

I like it but 50% is bad, the size will be small, IMO. So the % should be decreased.

   ~~MZ~~

[marcotheminer]

Good thinking, I would also enforce a minimum time lock-in whenever someone chooses a new avatar (1month or so maybe?)

[MultipliedCombo]

This is quite an interesting idea. Perhaps the size would be a bit smaller than its normal size, but probably not 50% (too small). Maybe something that is just noticeably smaller.

[Vod]

This is quite an interesting idea. Perhaps the size would be a bit smaller than its normal size, but probably not 50% (too small). Maybe something that is just noticeably smaller.

Or a border around the avatar, which gets less opaque over time?

[Cranky4u]

Darth Vader needs a bigger universe...let the Avatar be freeeeeeee or at least a little bigger 

[dserrano5]

Or a border around the avatar, which gets less opaque over time?

Someone could game that by continuously changing avatars (diff 1px) to give the impression that the border is part of the avatar itself, so it would seem that there's no border, ie the avatar hasn't changed in a while.

[deadley]

I think it will be better if we don't allow to put Avatar newbie or junior member.

So it will solve most of the problem of impersonate any user.

[Cannotthinkofusername]

This is quite an interesting idea. Perhaps the size would be a bit smaller than its normal size, but probably not 50% (too small). Maybe something that is just noticeably smaller.

Or a border around the avatar, which gets less opaque over time?

^yes, I think the border sounds better then a smaller photo.

[hilariousandco]

I think most of this is unnecessarily complicating things, not to mention I can only imagine the amount of threads we'll get in Meta and everywhere else "when will my avatar get bigger" "why has my avatar got a border" etc etc.

I think it will be better if we don't allow to put Avatar newbie or junior member.

So it will solve most of the problem of impersonate any user.

I think this would be an easier solution but people still shouldn't be fooled by just an avatar.

[Alexunited]

I read this thread and just laugged at your avatar. It really does speak louder.

[qwk]

I propose modifying the size of the avatar based on the last time it was updated.

I actually like the idea.
Instead of increasing size, you could also simply define transparency for an avatar, i.e. a fresh one will be transparent over a grayish background.