>>Does this requirement violate any laws? Seems that protecting privacy and following laws in specific countries, particularly EU countries, should be priority.
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>The creation of an account is subject to a user's decision. No one is obligated to create an account on a site. However, major social sites, such as Facebok, are having the profile picture at the account creation level. I wouldn't see how a social site could grow without an image linked to an account. Among our new features, the turn around of the site into a more ready to go social networking site is on the lineup.

There is ongoing law suit to protect useres to allow them alias names on the site named.

Great disadvantages of UT are to be not allowed to have an alias and are forced to have a real picture. An avatar is a widely accepted way to express oneself better then by a passport photo. And an alias a simple way to protect own identity from maniacs.

For the moment I think I will not renew my subscription until I understand how this is evolving. To many changes that go into the wrong direction. If I like to sell my soul to a social (one should be beaten by this abuse) network I would use grimace book. If you say there are millions of people doing the same on grimace book - it's on there level of knowledge. Mine is different.