Quackcast 768 - Avatars

Today it's sort of a fun one, we're talking about avatars that people use to represent themselves when they communicate online. It's an important part of communication because it influences how we represent ourselves and how we relate to others. I've been on Drunk Duck over 20 years and in that time I've had many different avatars as I've changed my role on the site and chosen to represent myself in different ways. The same with Tantz Aerine and Banes, as well as our avatars for Google, Twitter/X, Facebook, and all other social media. Over time many corporate interests have seen the value of people's need for avatars and they've sort to co-opt it and market in opportunistic and cynical ways. The most typical is to limit your choice of avatars to images they have licenses for so they can advertise, like Netflix and Disney Plus. Another common way to do it is Snapchat's method and something Meta tries when you create a "3D" avatars that are roughly based on yourself, dressed in items of clothing they create, with hairstyles and facial expressions etc. they they offer so that you have a limited illusion of personalisation and representation. Their goal is to hopefully make you buy special features for that avatar to make you stand out more. Personally I hate anything that takes away true freedom of expression. It goes much further than that though: the whole reason why Meta (owner of Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and more), is even called "Meta" is because their ultimate goal was to change the internet so we all communicate via a 3D interface with 3D avatars to represent us all, with clothing and designs that were bought via NFPs. Test versions of that were already in place before it ultimately failed, but not before people spent quite a bit of money on their silly character's appearances. How did YOU come to use your particular avatar and how long have you been using it? Do you use art you've created, a selfie photo, or something you saved from your online activities? This week Gunwallace game us a lovely musical theme to - Destruction Inc - A hidden, mysterious, technical, cyber world with code and sparkling neural pathways… this electronic tune is quite intimidating and alien though the notes of a piano serve to humanise it, as does the driving beat. Topics and shownotes Links Next week: Blending improvisation with solid story plotting/structure as you carry on drawing a comic. - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/forum/topic/180165/ Featured comic: Faerie Tales - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/news/2025/nov/25/featured-comic-faerie-tales/ Featured music: Destruction Inc - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Destruction_Inc/ - by ThatDarnFoxCreations, rated M. Special thanks to: Gunwallace - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Gunwallace/ Tantz Aerine - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Tantz_Aerine/ Kawaiidaigakusei - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/kawaiidaigakusei Ozoneocean - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/ozoneocean Banes - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Banes/ VIDEO exclusive! Become a subscriber on the $5 level and up to see our weekly Patreon video and get our advertising perks! - https://www.patreon.com/DrunkDuck Even at $1 you get your name with a link on the front page and a mention in the weekend newsposts! Join us on Discord - https://discordapp.com/invite/7NpJ8GS