by Elizabeth M Young

Created on: October 13, 2009

On line personal safety is the foremost consideration when presenting personal information, including photos and biographies. On line communication that is of a personal nature, such as with social networking sites, is enhanced by providing some personal information about where in the world a person lives, age range, hobbies and interests, and so on, but in sites where the viewers can be screened at various levels.

When on line communication involves high profile individuals who have websites, who write articles with a goal of becoming a high profile writer, or who need to provide biographical background for verifying their qualifications, then a detailed biography, photos and other information enhances those goals.

There are drawbacks to presenting photos. Appearance, race, age, and gender can become issues when viewers alter their intellectual interests, commercial and professional evaluations, and friendships based on such factors.

Most sites allow screening of those who are allowed access to personal and biographical information. When there is no refinement to the access allowed, many people are simply exercising common sense and are well within their rights to put up no information at all. On the basis of personal safety and on line protection of personal data, not being able to screen access allows the entire on line community to view the data, and with no protection or screening whatsoever.

Some people at Helium are here to write articles, make a little money, and enjoy their friends in the community. When someone is interested in more information, it is perfectly acceptable to communicate through the "contact this writer" mechanism. Others, who wish to enhance their professional careers as writers, or to establish their professional presence, can use the account features to provide biographical information and a photo. Not everyone is here on the same basis, with the same motivations, or with the same level of desire to provide or even view detailed personal information about the authors.

Making a picture a mandatory issue is not going to get the intended or desired results for Helium, or for the writers as a whole. First of all, a completely false picture and biography is easy to generate. Again, readers who insist on age, race, gender and appearance as a factor in evaluating or taking in information, will only be responding to the false information that fake pictures and biogs have to offer.

The overall consideration is the comfort level and safety level of the individual who makes the decision as to whether to release their personal, professional, and other information to the entire on line community, in a forum where their work attracts a large audience, and where there are no mechanisms for screening those who can view that information.

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