Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sometimes I like to go over to the Flickr and look at other peoples photos. We all do. It’s fun to be a voyeur like that sometimes. That’s why the site is so great! I like to look at the families, the older photos as well as the artsy shots. I think the shots with people are more interesting on Flickr. Who’s cute, who’s not… I like to make up little stories in my mind about the people that posed so well, or so awkwardly. It can be quite entertaining. But sometimes a trip into Flickr land can be quite jolting.
Take for instance my experience just last week. There I was cruising the blogs, like we all do. I was led to a Flickr link to something that came up as a warning due to a Safe Search preference. The photo in question was something with folks at a bar event. Nothing nasty. Lawd knows there are better places on the ‘net than Flickr for that! But still. I had never asked for this Safe Search business so I looked into it. I soon found it and shut it off. Is it new? I dunno. It was new to me. So of course I had to make sure it was off. I searched for something dirty…
Yes I know there are better places on the internets for things like that! I think I just covered that. I am trying to tell a story here!!
I actually typed in “penis” in the search field. Just to see. Kinda adolescent, sure, but remember I just was trying to establish that there were no longer limits on my search. Well it turns out that there aren’t that many penises on the Flickr. At least not tagged that way. But the first one I found led me into the most horrific group of photos I have ever seen. You know how sometimes on Flickr you can read the set title better than you can see the thumbnails? Well when the title has to do with destroyed body parts of any kind do not click through. For me at that moment it was too late. It was like that car accident you drove by and couldn’t look away from.
Wow, that’s crazy. I think I’ve just about been scarred for life, and I didn’t even see any of those pictures!
Posted by Yoshi on 08/28 at 11:32 AMLast year, I was befriended by someone who called himself something I should have known would have been questionable. I have no idea why he chose me, since I mostly take pictures of flowers, weird geological wonders, and trees. Anyway, let’s just say it was pretty icky. OK, worse than icky. The stuff of well, porn.
Not that I have anything against porn. Hey, I’ve been known to sit through a flick or two, but well, anonymity is something I prefer in that arena.
I’m glad there is Safe Search now. Yes. It is your friend. And I’m not even remotely conservative. But well… the creeps can keep their distance! That’s all I’m sayin’!
-H
Posted by Hed on 08/28 at 12:28 PMok. i need to see that shit now.
Posted by Ruthie on 08/28 at 03:34 PM
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