Girl Gamers – Why You Should Change Your Gamertag

If you are a girl gamer, then you have likely experienced some toxicity in at least one gaming environment. I’ve experienced it several times and have some tips on how to stay safe. However, the most difficult experience I had was regarding my gamertag.

Don’t Link Your Gamertag to Your Personal Information

I frequently played Overwatch, and unfortunately, that was the game in which I experienced the most toxicity. During a match, someone called out my tag in chat. Then they started accurately describing my home and our cars out front. Luckily, this happened as the round ended, but I turned off the game and immediately checked my front cameras.

My family suggested that maybe they were guessing since our car is a common color. However, the coincidence of it all was too much for me. My family and friends suggested I look through my accounts and see if any personal information was attached.

I deep-dived and started searching every possible gaming account I had. Then, I started deleting anything that would attach to my personal information, whether emails or my full name. My cousin taught me how to set certain restrictions on Google Earth. We assume he knew how to describe my home and car because of Google Earth. The scarier part is that somehow, he retrieved my address.

Many are probably curious why I wouldn’t just change my gamertag. Well, after doing all that, I made the hard decision to change my gamertag. I was part of a set as “Mrs.” My husband was “Mr.” and even my siblings were “Sis” and “Bro.” So now I had to detach myself from all of that. This isn’t a big deal to many, but gaming with my family is one of my favorite things.

Choose Gamertags Wisely

If you are adamant about keeping your gamertag, please go through and private your information. Ensure that none of it can be gathered from someone who is researching. Google yourself and view your profiles from the accounts of people you trust.

However, I recommend changing your tag for every game you play. That way, there is no “paper trail” of your gamertag, making finding information about you more difficult.

Lastly, it may be worth it to remove any mention that you are a girl from your gamertag. I am sorry for having to make a suggestion like that, but it’s because of those instances (like Mrs. in my case) that caught that person’s attention in the first place.

Additional Safety Tips

Some additional tips for staying safe as a girl gamer. Of course, don’t willingly give out any personal information. Many people on the internet are nothing like they say they are. You may think you’ve met a good friend or romantic partner but do not take anyone at their word.

Also, avoid gamer tags that give away information. For example, I previously had a gamertag that used the acronyms for the university I was attending. Some people asked me if I was from a specific state because of the university. Even if they guess correctly – tell them no. They might be looking for additional information to close in on your accounts.

I will write more articles about my experience as a girl gamer in the future. Look for the “Gamer Girl” category on the MFG Gaming Blog.