diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ImageSwitcher.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ImageSwitcher.java
index b708aff..8ccf694 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ImageSwitcher.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ImageSwitcher.java
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ package org.gcube.portlets.user.shareupdates.client.form;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 
 import com.google.gwt.core.client.GWT;
+import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Style.Visibility;
 import com.google.gwt.event.dom.client.ClickEvent;
 import com.google.gwt.event.dom.client.ClickHandler;
-import com.google.gwt.uibinder.client.UiHandler;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.Composite;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.HTML;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.HasHorizontalAlignment;
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.HorizontalPanel;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.Image;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.VerticalPanel;
 
-public class ImageSwitcher extends Composite{
+public class ImageSwitcher extends Composite {
+
+	public static final String blank_image_url = GWT.getModuleBaseURL() + "../images/white-grad.gif";
 
 	private ArrayList<String> imageUrls;
 	private VerticalPanel mainPanel = new VerticalPanel();
@@ -23,6 +25,8 @@ public class ImageSwitcher extends Composite{
 	private HTML label = new HTML("1 of 1");
 	private HTML next = new HTML(" >> ");
 	private int currentIndex = 0;
+	
+	private boolean visible = true;
 
 	public ImageSwitcher() {
 		super();
@@ -30,21 +34,21 @@ public class ImageSwitcher extends Composite{
 		mainPanel.setHorizontalAlignment(HasHorizontalAlignment.ALIGN_CENTER);
 		mainPanel.setPixelSize(100, 100);
 		mainPanel.add(image);
-		
+
 		controlPanel.setHorizontalAlignment(HasHorizontalAlignment.ALIGN_CENTER);
 		controlPanel.add(prev);
 		controlPanel.add(label);
 		controlPanel.add(next);
 
 		mainPanel.add(controlPanel);
-		
+
 		prev.setStyleName("small-text-arrow");
 		label.setStyleName("small-text");
 		next.setStyleName("small-text-arrow");
-		
-		
+
+
 		initWidget(mainPanel);
-		
+
 		next.addClickHandler(new ClickHandler() {			
 			public void onClick(ClickEvent event) {
 				if (imageUrls != null && currentIndex < imageUrls.size()) {
@@ -54,7 +58,7 @@ public class ImageSwitcher extends Composite{
 				}
 			}
 		});
-		
+
 		prev.addClickHandler(new ClickHandler() {			
 			public void onClick(ClickEvent event) {
 				if (imageUrls != null && currentIndex > 0) {
@@ -66,8 +70,8 @@ public class ImageSwitcher extends Composite{
 		});
 	}
 
-	
-	
+
+
 	protected void setImages(ArrayList<String> imageUrls) {
 		this.imageUrls = imageUrls;
 		if (imageUrls.size() == 0) {
@@ -83,13 +87,29 @@ public class ImageSwitcher extends Composite{
 			enableSwitch(imageUrls);
 		}			
 	}
-	
+
 	private void enableSwitch(ArrayList<String> imageUrls) {
 		label.setHTML("1 of " + imageUrls.size());
 		currentIndex = 0;
 	}
-	
+
 	protected String getSelectedImageURL() {
+		if (!visible)
+			image.setUrl(blank_image_url);
 		return image.getUrl();
 	}
+	/**
+	 * because i don't want it to me removed from DOM
+	 */
+	public void setVisible(boolean visible) {
+		this.visible = visible;
+		if (visible) {
+			image.getElement().getStyle().setVisibility(Visibility.VISIBLE);
+			controlPanel.getElement().getStyle().setVisibility(Visibility.VISIBLE);
+		}
+		else {
+			image.getElement().getStyle().setVisibility(Visibility.HIDDEN);
+			controlPanel.getElement().getStyle().setVisibility(Visibility.HIDDEN);
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.java
index fefa3ee..7a3f1a1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.java
@@ -23,6 +23,20 @@ public class LinkPreviewer extends Composite {
 	private ShareUpdateForm parent;
 	
 	private LinkPreview toShow;
+	
+	@UiField HTML closeImage;
+	@UiField ImageSwitcher switcher;
+
+	@UiField
+	HTML titleArea;
+	@UiField
+	HTML urlText;
+	@UiField
+	HTML descText;
+	@UiField
+	CheckBox hideCheckBox;
+	@UiField
+	CheckBox hideImageCheckBox;
 
 	public LinkPreviewer(ShareUpdateForm parent, LinkPreview toShow) {
 		initWidget(uiBinder.createAndBindUi(this));
@@ -39,17 +53,8 @@ public class LinkPreviewer extends Composite {
 		switcher.setImages(toShow.getImageUrls());
 	}
 
-	@UiField HTML closeImage;
-	@UiField ImageSwitcher switcher;
-
-	@UiField
-	HTML titleArea;
-	@UiField
-	HTML urlText;
-	@UiField
-	HTML descText;
-	@UiField
-	CheckBox hideCheckBox;
+	
+	
 	
 	public ImageSwitcher getSwitcher() {
 		return switcher;
@@ -60,6 +65,11 @@ public class LinkPreviewer extends Composite {
 		parent.cancelPreview();
 	}	
 	
+	@UiHandler("hideImageCheckBox") 
+	void onHideImageClick(ClickEvent e) {
+		switcher.setVisible(!hideImageCheckBox.getValue());
+	}
+	
 	@UiHandler("hideCheckBox") 
 	void onClick(ClickEvent e) {
 		descText.setVisible(!hideCheckBox.getValue());
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.ui.xml b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.ui.xml
index 1242154..2b5b2c1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.ui.xml
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/LinkPreviewer.ui.xml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 					<div class="link-desc">
 						<g:HTML styleName="" ui:field="descText" />
 						<div class="hide-description">
+							<g:CheckBox ui:field="hideImageCheckBox">Hide Image</g:CheckBox>
 							<g:CheckBox ui:field="hideCheckBox">Hide Description</g:CheckBox>
 						</div>
 					</div>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ShareUpdateForm.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ShareUpdateForm.java
index 6e0ae2d..7939495 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ShareUpdateForm.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/client/form/ShareUpdateForm.java
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@ import org.jsonmaker.gwt.client.Jsonizer;
 
 import com.google.gwt.core.client.GWT;
 import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Document;
-import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Style.FontStyle;
-import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Style.FontWeight;
-import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Style.TextDecoration;
 import com.google.gwt.event.dom.client.ClickEvent;
 import com.google.gwt.uibinder.client.UiBinder;
 import com.google.gwt.uibinder.client.UiField;
@@ -29,7 +26,6 @@ import com.google.gwt.user.client.Window;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.rpc.AsyncCallback;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.Button;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.Composite;
-import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.HTML;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.HTMLPanel;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.Image;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.ListBox;
@@ -55,6 +51,7 @@ public class ShareUpdateForm extends Composite {
 	public static final String loading = GWT.getModuleBaseURL() + "../images/avatarLoader.gif";
 	public static final String avatar_default = GWT.getModuleBaseURL() + "../images/Avatar_default.png";
 
+
 	private static ShareUpdateFormUiBinder uiBinder = GWT
 			.create(ShareUpdateFormUiBinder.class);
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/server/ShareUpdateServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/server/ShareUpdateServiceImpl.java
index cf57ccc..ff36768 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/server/ShareUpdateServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/shareupdates/server/ShareUpdateServiceImpl.java
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ public class ShareUpdateServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements	Shar
 		if (user == null) {
 			_log.warn("USER IS NULL setting test.user and Running OUTSIDE PORTAL");
 			user = "test.user";
-//			user = "massimiliano.assante";
-//			SessionManager.getInstance().getASLSession(sessionID, user).setScope("/gcube/devsec/devVRE");
+			user = "massimiliano.assante";
+			SessionManager.getInstance().getASLSession(sessionID, user).setScope("/gcube/devsec/devVRE");
 			withinPortal = false;
 		}
 		else {