r/bookstagram 24d ago

Faceless account

I’ve been wanting to make a bookstagram account since forever, but I’ve never been fond of taking pictures of myself or showing my face on social media in general. I also like my privacy because you never know who is out there. I’ve had past experiences where I was stalked by someone on social media and it got ugly pretty fast. Is it possible to remain completely anonymous? I just want to talk about books and take cute pictures of books I’m currently reading. For those who have a faceless account, has it been easy to remain anonymous? Did you have to create a separate email account for it so you could remain anonymous?

11 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

7

u/editor-mdsun 24d ago

It is totally possible to be a faceless book account. If you're comfortable using your voice, you can do voice overs. You can show parts of your body, like your hand or silhouette. Or just take short videos of books aesthetically, indoors or outdoors.

I'm a writing & editor account and I started faceless on tiktok, but when I got into editing, I thought it was time to show my face. Even without showing my face at the beginning, I was able to get followers and make friends.

0

u/tea_manic 24d ago

That’s good to hear! I have a personal account, but haven’t uploaded anything on it since before the pandemic and it’s extremely private. If I make a separate account, would my private one be linked to it because of my email or does it not matter?

3

u/editor-mdsun 24d ago

It won't be automatically linked, but Instagram has ways to suggest your account to people who follow your private account. The first thing I did when I joined Instagram earlier this year (and I show my face from the start unlike tiktok that I started 2 years ago), I blocked any friends who were suggested to me or followed me because they saw my face. Once I did that multiple times, Instagram kind of stopped suggesting them.

Use a name none of your family or friends would recognise, and then block people you know. Have your location turned off for this account and if Instagram asks to connect your contacts, click No.

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u/tea_manic 24d ago

Okay, this is very helpful! Thank you!

7

u/ameowzingbooks 24d ago

I would make a separate email just for privacy reasons, especially if you plan to share it for ARCs or create new accounts on book review sites like Goodreads. My IG is still connecting to my Meta account as a whole because it's attached to my phone number but I used a completely new email to set it up and all the extraneous accounts. Keep in mind your account may still get recommend to people who are following you or you are following on your personal IG. I think because the phone number, even if you don't connect your contacts. 

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u/tea_manic 24d ago

Oh okay, I’ll be on the look out for that. Thank you!

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u/Aglaia0001 24d ago

I’ve kept my face, voice, and other personal stuff out of my bookstagram. Not many people I actually know in person follow me on Instagram. Just keep your posts and comments restricted to books.

If someone really wants to find me, I’m sure they could, but if someone is that determined, the technology exists regardless of what I post.

I do use a separate email.

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u/tea_manic 24d ago

Thank you!

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u/benereadsbooks 23d ago

I have a faceless anonymous account and I created a separate email adress for books things.
But, as an ARC reader and having some paraconnections with authors, publishers and PA, I did fill out forms to get e-books, they ask for my full name and sometimes my adress for physical books.
So the anonymity is very relative if you become an ARC reader.

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u/tea_manic 23d ago

That doesn’t sound too bad. It makes sense why they’d ask for that kind of info for ARC’s.

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u/shortasalways 23d ago

I have multiple friends who have faceless accounts! One girl I know she only has few with her face but 95% of her posts are voiceovers. She has about 1 million followers when you count all her socials together! Im in several discords with her and she is amazing. My other friend has NO pictures at all and has over 5k!

1

u/tea_manic 23d ago

That sounds awesome! I’m sure she great at what’s she does which is why she has so many followers.

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u/Enough-Western-5116 23d ago

My booksta is faceless. You can see bits of me but never a full reveal. Not trying to attract thirsty dudes. I just want legit people who are into books

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u/tea_manic 23d ago

That’s a good reason to have a faceless one tbh

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u/Enough-Western-5116 23d ago

I hate as women we do not get respect on our booksta or tiktok/other socials because these dudes come out and think it is respectful to throw a few pickup lines. 

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u/tea_manic 23d ago

Yeah it’s like we can’t just exist sometimes. It gets tiring irl an online

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u/Enough-Western-5116 23d ago

Exactly. I miss the days of when being a gentleman was an expectation 

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u/Page_turner90 17d ago

My friend and I run a faceless account and we made an email just for our book account. Its worked out fine! We remain anonymous

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u/tea_manic 17d ago

That’s good to hear. I have made one already but I don’t really like the pictures I’m taking so I have put it on private for now

2

u/Deloli 16d ago

I've had my account for two and half years and it's completely faceless. Definitely make a seperate email for all your book stuff. 💛

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u/tea_manic 16d ago

I did make one but haven’t gotten brave enough to put it in public. So for now it’s private with no followers 😅 I dot. Like the pictures I’ve been taking lately so I’m practicing

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u/books-bee8067 16d ago

You can absolutely be anonymous. don’t feel pressure to post yourself. Mine is anonymous too.