An interesting privacy problem this venture could solve is how malefactors can use an image search to see in what other sites a target's profile picture is used.
In general, you should be careful with using the same display picture on different websites for this reason.
I don't know the background (privacy) details of this service but it is certainly better than Facebook.
We're better off using Avatars (in multiples and as platform/interest dictates) than we are using photographs of our selves on open networks like Facebook etc.
would you please share the revenue model with us? Obviously you proved there is an interest in your product and problem you are solving, but now with the cost to keep the lights up - how do you plan on making money?
Thanks for the question. Avatars.io is one service we offer as part of our broader API and family of media services - see getchute.com. While we will maintain a generous free tier, we will eventually charge for access to the underlying API. Avatars.io itself is not a standalone business but is, however, a great way for developers to get started with Chute.
These types of services really need to consider delivery over HTTPS, especially now that Facebook requires it for the app canvas and for added security over mobile WANs.
While I hope we're a fun place to work, I'm even more concerned with building a scalable platform and a profitable business.
Avatars are just one of the many ways we're helping serve media for developers, brands and publishers. Fortunately, many of these same folks are also now using our API and other services, which we do in fact charge for.
Hey if Avatars is part of an onboarding process to a bigger overall revenue producing ecosystem, more power to ya, that's a creative marketing strategy. My reply wasn't to your product specifically, just to the parent's comment in general.
In general, you should be careful with using the same display picture on different websites for this reason.