photolurker

English

Etymology

photo +‎ lurker

Noun

photolurker (plural photolurkers)

1. One who seeks out and views online pictures posted by people he or she does not know.
   • 2006, New Scientist - Volume 192, Issues 2578-2584, page 34:

     Photolurkers spent most of their time online flicking through photograph albums posted by strangers.

   • 2007 January 23, “Online snappers told to beware photolurkers”, in The Guardian:

     Perhaps the photolurkers aren't entirely to blame. Some photographers are posting their most private moments online, without any password protection, for all the world to see.

   • 2009, Stephen Fineman, The Emotional Organization: Passions and Power, →ISBN, page 196:

     Other recently recognized emotional possibilities include: egosurfing (narcissistic observation of one's own name or reputation on the web), blog streakers (revealing secrets or inappropriate personal information online), google-stalking (snooping and seeking information about old friends, ex-lovers, etc.), photolurkers (obsession with images of unknown people), infornography (obsessive search and distribution of internet information), and crackberry (being unable to stop checking one's BlackBerry, even at the most inappropriate times). These are all well-suited to facilitating transnational contacts and emotions.

   • 2012, Roderick Weener, Photolog Viewing on Facebook, (Masters Thesis - Universiteit van Amsterdam):

     In contrast, the passive visitor, or photolurker, does not offer any comments to photologs, yet often visits them.