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Original poster

Can work make me do this?

66 replies

Nopicplease · 14/03/2023 23:22

We use outlook and teams at work a lot. They have said recently that they want all employees to have a picture of themselves as their profile picture on teams by the end of this week
I really don't want to see my face staring back at me every time I send a message. Can they make me do this?

OP posts:

jesusjoan · 15/03/2023 08:45

WhyCantPeopleBeNice · 15/03/2023 08:35

@jesusjoan how is this any different to work ID cards and photos on lanyards for access to work buildings?
Your face is not a privacy concern - it's in no way classified as personal or sensitive data!

Low self esteem sort of makes sense, but in real life you don't walk around the office with your face fully covered

Your face is not a privacy concern - it's in no way classified as personal or sensitive data!

I never said it was a legislative privacy concern. It is however a personal privacy concern for some people. That's just a fact, you don't need to agree that's the case for you, but it is for others. And it's disingenuous to suggest it's the same as having your photo on your lanyard!

Cheeseandhoney · 15/03/2023 08:46

jesusjoan · 15/03/2023 08:25

Doesn't matter if people can't explain why they don't want it, you could just respect their decision if it makes them feel uncomfortable or they want to protect their privacy. If it's for personal reasons or self esteem issues, they're not really going to want to have their face permanently paraded around email. It's just not necessary.

Show quote history

But their face is on display in the office. It’s not like they are a super spy and their identity secret.

dietcokelime · 15/03/2023 08:52

Our organisation bloody loves this! 😂

I've got one of me on a holiday (winter holiday so fully clothed in a huge coat and hat) taken from about 50ft away. It's malicious compliance - I've done what they asked, put a photo of me on. Unless they're willing to tell me to put a selfie on and explain why that's necessary then they can enjoy my long distance shot.

Tbh we all have photo lanyards on which is unfortunately a mugshot, so I'm just thrilled that wasn't automatically used because I look deranged in it.

jesusjoan · 15/03/2023 08:54

Cheeseandhoney · 15/03/2023 08:46

But their face is on display in the office. It’s not like they are a super spy and their identity secret.

Show quote history

Oh for goodness sake, what's so hard to understand that some people just have bad self esteem issues. It's really not that hard!!

Mabelface · 15/03/2023 08:58

I hate photos of me. It's not insisted on though. I'm also glad that the photo on my lanyard isn't used, as I also look deranged! I'm also 2st heavier and long haired on that pic. Now normal weight with a mostly shaved head. 😂

Porridgeislife · 15/03/2023 09:03

Thank goodness our organisation takes photos on induction morning & automatically uploads to your Microsoft profile.

It’s a strange hill to want to die on.

Smogtopia · 15/03/2023 09:05

OP you're being pathetic

Lemonyfuckit · 15/03/2023 09:09

Mine happens automatically at work with our professionally headshot. Whilst I get where you're coming from the reality is the picture is really small so it's not that bad.

VeloHostage · 15/03/2023 09:14

Tbh we all have photo lanyards on which is unfortunately a mugshot, so I'm just thrilled that wasn't automatically used because I look deranged in it.

I always gave people a chance to prepare for the photo, and took as many as needed, and allowed the subject to choose the one they liked best. Amused me how many men used to disappear to comb their hair.

therearesomenastypeoplearound · 15/03/2023 09:16

Seriously?

Just put your photo on there!

ChristmasRoses · 15/03/2023 09:25

Get someone to take a photo of you with a light behind you so you're almost a silhouette. Be grateful you're not in my company where cameras on is mandatory!

Divebar2021 · 15/03/2023 09:25

I hate having my photo taken but if it was required I’d take a 200 selfies until I found one I was ok with. I’m not saying you would moan at work about it OP but people do moan about low level shit and it really highlights aspects of people’s characters that don’t bear the scrutiny.

GenuinelyDone · 15/03/2023 09:27

They can't force you, however if any part of your role description involves business relationships they can argue that you're not fully engaging with other employees by withholding a photo.

This is how my place got almost universal photo uptake. People were being marked down in their performance reviews because of the people engagement aspect.

Letsnotargue · 15/03/2023 09:29

I understand your feeling, but I had to comply. I’ve got one headshot (taken with. Snapchat filter!) that I use for everything. On emails etc it’s about as big as an old postage stamp and hardly recognisable as me.

I do hate seeing my face staring back at me on video Teams calls but I try to put that to the back of my mind. I do like using it to spot who has used a very old, potentially more flattering photo for their profile though.

Shoxfordian · 15/03/2023 09:29

Don’t really see the issue unless you walk into work with a bag over your head

Cheeseandhoney · 15/03/2023 09:30

jesusjoan · 15/03/2023 08:54

Oh for goodness sake, what's so hard to understand that some people just have bad self esteem issues. It's really not that hard!!

Show quote history

Wow calm down, are you ok? No one here doesn’t understand poor self esteem, you don’t need to lash out. But the point being made is her colleagues can see her anyway.

Crazycrazylady · 15/03/2023 09:32

I think there are hills to die in re work requests and there are wins that aren't. This is definitely the latter.

MagpiePi · 15/03/2023 09:38

Brackenfield · 15/03/2023 08:23

I would find a picture of a model with a passing resemblence to me and use that and see if anyone mentions it 😌

Back in the day when we only had ID cards with names and photos on, some of us youngsters got hold of the card belonging to Dennis - he used to leave it in his desk drawer overnight. We cut a picture out of a magazine and pasted it over his and changed the name to Denise. The woman in the picture was young with lots of blond hair, Dennis was old and bald.
Neither he nor anyone else noticed for about a week.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 15/03/2023 09:39

The pic in teams is about the size of a paracetamol.
You can hide it for yourself when on calls.

If you can't cope with seeing a tiny image of your own face occasionally then I would assume that your self esteem challenges are holding you back significantly in lots of aspects of your life and it might be worth seeking help, and perhaps that choosing a small image of yourself might be a good first step towards becoming less sensitive.

Drifta · 15/03/2023 09:43

I hated it too but it comes out so tiny on the screen. Maybe get someone to take one from a distance away so you are even tinier.

Whenharrymetsmelly · 15/03/2023 09:43

This is standard practice everywhere I've worked. Get another job with another company if you don't like it?

Nicecow · 15/03/2023 09:44

Shoxfordian · 15/03/2023 09:29

Don’t really see the issue unless you walk into work with a bag over your head

Exactly. Some people are beying ridiculous

dietcokelime · 15/03/2023 09:46

VeloHostage · 15/03/2023 09:14

Tbh we all have photo lanyards on which is unfortunately a mugshot, so I'm just thrilled that wasn't automatically used because I look deranged in it.

😭 you would have been my best friend!

Mine was unfortunately taken by a horribly grumpy chap, who was a foot shorter than me (which gives that lovely up nose and multiple chins angle) directly under a strip light. I have one eye half closed, all six chins are in focus, single strand of hair over one eye and the rest of my hair is windswept as I'd just walked in from the rain. It could be a before from a makeover show. Definitely don't need to worry about cat fishing anyone 😂

Luckily it only gets checked when getting through security gates and they barely look, or by the occasional over eager colleague when walking about if it's not on show.

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 15/03/2023 11:32

If your issue is that you don't want to view yourself then there is a way to hide your photo from yourself.
Next to your photo on the screen there are 3 dots, click on these and the option to "hide from me" should appear. Click on this and the photo will disappear from your screen.
Sorted!

smellyflowers · 15/03/2023 11:34

I'd refuse to in case it reinforces people's bias views of me. If they made me then I'd cover my face.

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