I’m sure this happens elsewhere as well but I have noticed it on Orkut. A lot of people use pictures of celebrities along with their names/ handles. Now, I recognize the celebrities because I know Bollywood. So, I know that a person called Ravi will not look like Hrithik Roshan. But there may be many who wouldn’t know this. So, if this Ravi person is chatting or messaging someone, he is giving the impression that the face of Hrithik is part of his identity, just as the name ‘Ravi’ is.
There could be cases where a non-celebrity’s face could be used along with a name. Someone who isn’t famous; maybe a girl one clicked at a party or a guy one snapped at a coffee-house. Because they are not celebrities, there is an increased probability to believe that the face belongs to the person voicing the opinion.
In both celebrity-non-celebrity cases, this can become rather sticky if certain racial/sexual/anti-nation remarks are made. Or if this person happens to belong to a dubious community.
I am not aware of the elements of the offence ‘impersonifaction’ under the IPC, but I think, this, at some level qualifies as misprepresentation (if not cheating). And what’s more – if you have a face, use it…or else, use the imagination and craft a picture for your name. Why use somebody else’s mug?
(Note: It is perfectly okay to use pictures of animals, birds, or butterflies though, because everyone knows they won’t be able to think up of passwords..and if they do, they won’t be able to remember them.)
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Also wondering that one of the biggest time-wasters while typing is not paying attention to the Caps Lock key. I spend a lot of time typing in all Caps and then, after typing a particularly long sentence, realize that I don’t actually want to sound loud and obnoxious. So I go back and change the casing. (To just sound obnoxious.)
Of course, the Shift + F3 feature in Word does make it easier, but so many times, one is not typing in Word. And therein lies the root of all my problems.
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If a city cannot make it’s public spaces amenable to the old, very young, pregnant, or infirm, it should just shut up about being the next ‘Shanghai.’
Last evening, I accompanied a very pregnant friend to the bathroom in some guest house. It had steep steps, no ramp, and was some distance away from where we were. The path to the loo was littered with sharp pebbles. So, after an ardous walk, we reached there. I suggested she sit down on one of the sofas. The man in the reception area told us that we can’t sit there. ‘People complain’, he said.
I told him that no-one would complain if a pregnant lady takes a breather for 5 minutes. The man insisted that he was following orders.
I would have argued with him further (my method would be to sit stubbornly and ask him to call the people who give ‘orders’), but my friend was embarassed. So we left.
And then we had to go through that dark, pebbled road again.
I hope that guy gets more compassion in his heart some day. Orders or no orders.
There could be cases where a non-celebrity’s face could be used along with a name. Someone who isn’t famous; maybe a girl one clicked at a party or a guy one snapped at a coffee-house. Because they are not celebrities, there is an increased probability to believe that the face belongs to the person voicing the opinion.
In both celebrity-non-celebrity cases, this can become rather sticky if certain racial/sexual/anti-nation remarks are made. Or if this person happens to belong to a dubious community.
I am not aware of the elements of the offence ‘impersonifaction’ under the IPC, but I think, this, at some level qualifies as misprepresentation (if not cheating). And what’s more – if you have a face, use it…or else, use the imagination and craft a picture for your name. Why use somebody else’s mug?
(Note: It is perfectly okay to use pictures of animals, birds, or butterflies though, because everyone knows they won’t be able to think up of passwords..and if they do, they won’t be able to remember them.)
*****************************************************
Also wondering that one of the biggest time-wasters while typing is not paying attention to the Caps Lock key. I spend a lot of time typing in all Caps and then, after typing a particularly long sentence, realize that I don’t actually want to sound loud and obnoxious. So I go back and change the casing. (To just sound obnoxious.)
Of course, the Shift + F3 feature in Word does make it easier, but so many times, one is not typing in Word. And therein lies the root of all my problems.
*****************************************************
If a city cannot make it’s public spaces amenable to the old, very young, pregnant, or infirm, it should just shut up about being the next ‘Shanghai.’
Last evening, I accompanied a very pregnant friend to the bathroom in some guest house. It had steep steps, no ramp, and was some distance away from where we were. The path to the loo was littered with sharp pebbles. So, after an ardous walk, we reached there. I suggested she sit down on one of the sofas. The man in the reception area told us that we can’t sit there. ‘People complain’, he said.
I told him that no-one would complain if a pregnant lady takes a breather for 5 minutes. The man insisted that he was following orders.
I would have argued with him further (my method would be to sit stubbornly and ask him to call the people who give ‘orders’), but my friend was embarassed. So we left.
And then we had to go through that dark, pebbled road again.
I hope that guy gets more compassion in his heart some day. Orders or no orders.
Comments
delhi has so many public toilets for men but very few for women(except the pay and use ones)and despite this almost no wall in a public place is spared by men here. it makes me sick to the core.