Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ethically Sourced Lena Picture

mortenhannemose.github.io

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 228 posts

Re: Ethically Sourced Lena Picture

#81

Post by bombcar »

jaclaz wrote: post #51

Side note: https://sipi.usc.edu/database/database.php?volume=misc&image... >Please note that we no longer distribute the following images that were previously available in our database: 4.2.04 (lena), 4.2.02 (tiffany), elaine.512, numbers.512 and testpat.1k. Although these images have played a significant role in the history of image processing, they no longer represent the best examples for future research. What are…

Based on a cursory google search, they are apparently all similarly "sourced" (and testpat includes lena).

Re: Ethically Sourced Lena Picture

#83

Post by smcl »

josephcsible wrote: post #52
matthews2 wrote: post #3

Background: the original Lena picture comes from the Playboy Magazine, and the model doesn't want people to use it. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/it-s-time-to-retire-...

Contrast that case with this one: https://www.boredpanda.com/unflattering-donald-trump-chin-ph... Why is it that in the former, everyone says you're a horrible person who deserves to be cancelled if you ignore the subject's wishes to not use the picture, but in the latter, everyone says it's a great thing if you ignore the subject's wishes to not use the picture?

Lena has been used for years and this use doesn't necessarily result in you being "cancelled", it might make your colleagues say "hey, can you use something other than lena?" though. The model is a pretty private figure (as she said, she’s not a model anymore) and has not given us any reason not to respect her wishes, so if she has asked the community not to then it's only decent to refrain from using her picture.

Trump is an extremely controversial person who has stirred up no end of trouble and in addition he has directed more than his own fair share of bodyshaming towards others. It does not surprise me in the slightest that people are not willing to extend him the courtesy of not sharing a picture of him that he doesn't like.

I'm not in the business of using or distributing these pictures, so I am quite happy not using either. I'm just attempting to explain why people feel this way. I personally quite like the Ethically Sourced Lena, it made me smile :)

Re: Ethically Sourced Lena Picture

#85

Post by super256 »

zokier wrote: post #54

I'm just imagining someone in 50 years time trying to figure out why we are using picture of naked man posing with a hat complete with purple plume as reference for image processing. That being said, is the Lena picture still being frequently used? Because I don't recall seeing it that often lately anymore

> That being said, is the Lena picture still being frequently used? Because I don't recall seeing it that often lately anymore

It's not part of the SIPI image db since 2017/2018; hence it is getting less frequently used. Probably only by researchers, who didn't update their copy in the last 5-6 years.

Re: Ethically Sourced Lena Picture

#86

Post by runjake »

twodave wrote: post #49

I was expecting to read some story about criminal exploitation, but this sounds like it's just... completely above-board? As a few other commenters stated, the model hasn't explicitly stated whether she supports the use of the photo or not. Even if she did explicitly come out and say she doesn't like people using it, she doesn't own the rights to it. I'm fine with (and happy for) people going above and beyond to resp…

> As a few other commenters stated, the model hasn't explicitly stated whether she supports the use of the photo or not.

Yes, she has. It's at the bottom of linked article:

    Lena added: “I retired from modelling a long time ago. It’s time I retired from tech, too. 
    We can make a simple change today that creates a lasting change for tomorrow. Let’s commit 
    to losing me.”

Re: Ethically Sourced Lena Picture

#87

Post by thepasswordis »

Can we please just have some things with some soul? This is a cute photo, the model in the photo has said she thinks is cool and kindof funny that it has been used for image research, the story is kindof cute and funny, and it's just...all around wholesome.

The people who want to get rid of this stuff are sad. The world does not need to be a soulless, beige, featureless, boring slurry of boring featureless HR spoken nonsense. The Lena picture and the entire story around it is about the most harmless thing imaginable.

Re: Ethically Sourced Lena Picture

#89

Post by wahnfrieden »

nemo44x wrote: post #77
wahnfrieden wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you're confused between what's legally permitted vs what's ethical. something being legal doesn't prevent anyone from protesting or doing something about it, even if they had accepted a legal risk. you're also just wrong about the legal aspect of it and seem unfamiliar with licensing

Aren't most of "ethics" just concepts created by existing power structures to justify and maintain their legitimacy? Does loading your opinion with "ethics" make it any more valid?

it's more about whether you respect someone's ability to have their own ethics, not which one is more correct. OP says the person's thoughts should be dismissed as irrelevant because of IP ownership law imposed by the state which yknow uses power to justify its legitimacy.
Post reply on HN