Editing Avatar (computing) (section)

===Awareness avatars===
[[File:Example social media profile pic.png|thumb|upright|Example user image with a [[Rainbow flag (LGBT)|rainbow flag]] across one corner]]
Some people add visual details or effects to their avatars to show support for a movement or issue, in a similar way to a physical [[awareness ribbon]].

The awareness avatar may have first been used in the [[New Zealand Internet Blackout]], to protest copyright law changes in New Zealand. Globally, protesters replaced their icons with black squares to show solidarity. The protest was successful and proved the method effective at both raising awareness and effecting change. Campaigns have used this method include:

* Black avatar: February 16–23, 2009 [[New Zealand Internet Blackout]] protesting copyright law changes in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://creativefreedom.org.nz/blackout.html |title=Join the Internet Blackout - Protest Against Guilt Upon Accusation Laws in NZ — Creative Freedom Foundation (Creativefreedom.org.nz) |accessdate=2009-06-27 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429074200/http://creativefreedom.org.nz/blackout.html |archivedate=2009-04-29 }}</ref>
* Yellow tint: Beginning June 17, 2009, to protest the increasing size and role of the United States government.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Menendez |first1=Ed |title=Ed Menendez Blog - Bush + Obama Debt = Slavery |url=http://menendez.com/blog/bush-obama-debt-slavery/ |access-date=5 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330012406/http://menendez.com/blog/bush-obama-debt-slavery/ |date=June 29, 2009 |archive-date=March 30, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Green tint: Beginning June 18, 2009 support for [[Iran election protests]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kraskin |first1=Michael |title=Going Green for Iran |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/18/going-green-for-iran/ |website=Politics Daily |access-date=5 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620234907/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/18/going-green-for-iran/ |archive-date=June 20, 2009}}</ref>
* French flag tint: Beginning November 13, 2015 to show support for France after the [[November 2015 Paris attacks]].<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Sanders|first1=Sam|last2=Mutnick|first2=Ally|date=2015-11-21|title=#MemeOfTheWeek: French Flags On Facebook|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/11/21/456820583/-memeoftheweek-french-flags-on-facebook|access-date=2022-02-01}}</ref>
* During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], users added [[surgical mask]]s and [[respirator]]s on the faces of characters and avatars.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} Websites such as [[Facebook]] officially supported these efforts by adding the option for several frames supporting the [[COVID-19 vaccine]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guynn |first1=Jessica |title=How to add 'I got my COVID vaccine' frame to your Facebook profile |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/04/01/facebook-covid-vaccine-profile-frames/4829274001/ |website=USA Today |access-date=5 November 2021 |date=1 April 2021}}</ref> Conversely, [[anti-vaccine]] advocates have used profile frames to state their opposition to it.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fiener |first1=Lauren |title=Facebook races to remove anti-vaccine profile picture frames |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/14/facebook-races-to-remove-anti-vaccine-profile-picture-frames.html |website=CNBC |access-date=5 November 2021 |date=14 May 2021}}</ref>
* Rainbow patterns to represent membership or solidarity with the [[LGBT community]].<ref name="Rainbow">{{cite news |last1=Dewey |first1=Caitlin |title=More than 26 million people have changed their Facebook picture to a rainbow flag. Here's why that matters. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/06/29/more-than-26-million-people-have-changed-their-facebook-picture-to-a-rainbow-flag-heres-why-that-matters/ |access-date=11 May 2020 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=June 29, 2015 |language=en}}</ref>