We all know that the online world can get weird. Especially if you are a girl in a predominately male space such as gaming. Women can receive a lot of harassment online in general but this can be amplified in the gaming community.
In this article we are going to share some tips on how to keep yourself safe as a woman online.
5 Tips For Staying Safe In The Gaming Community As A Woman
While meeting people online can be fun and is usually an enjoyable experience things can become unsafe if you are not careful. Women are more vulnerable of doxxing, cyber stalking, harassment and more forms of hate.
We have outlined some ways that you can be more safe online.
Stay Anonymous While Gaming
When you are gaming it is advised not to use your real name or reveal your location. Create a gamertag that you go by online and if you don’t have to, don’t show your face. By keeping your name anonymous you are much less likely to become a victim of doxxing.
Just do a quick google search of yourself. If you find stuff you wouldn’t want a random person on the internet knowing about you then keep yourself anonymous. Use different usernames and email addresses when creating gaming or streaming accounts.
Secure Your Accounts
You should make sure all of your accounts are secure with unique passwords and 2 factor authentication enabled if possible. We would highly recommend using a password manager extension such as 1Pass or Dashlane.
These password managers will create you unique passwords and remember them for you. You can use them on your desktop, phone and tablets so you have your passwords everywhere.
Use The Tools At Your Disposal
When you are gaming online most games will give you the ability to report or mute a player. If someone is harassing you via game chat, use the mute function so you do not have to listen to them.
Most games will also have a reporting feature allowing you to report a user. These reports may lead to a person being banned from the game if they were harassing other users.
Accept Friend Requests Sparingly
Only accept friend requests from people that you actually know. If someone you just met is adding you as a friend and you don’t really know them it’s better to decline. It keeps them one step further out from your circle.
Use A VPN Service
If you are ever gaming on Public Wifi and even in your home it is good practice to use a VPN to encrypt your data. One of the easiest ways to steal someones data and information is on public wifi.
So, that is our five tips to stay safe gaming online as a woman. You can also check out this Speak Up and Stay safe guide from feminist frequency.
Wrapping Up
The best way to stay safe online gaming is staying anonymous. The less people know about you the safer you will be. Ultimately remember to sit back and enjoy your gaming experience! Find some other girls to team up up with and take on the competition.
