We think of user names as just another meaningless aspect of the internet. For most poker players they are just a nom de guerre by which other players and rivals can identify them. But, it turns out that usernames can affect the way we are perceived just as personal names can affect people’s perception of others in day-to-day life. That is why a lot of new players are putting more effort into coming up with a username than ever before.
Just what can be gleaned from an online username? Some believe that any and all perceptions that one can get from an anonymous string of letters is meaningless. However, others have posited that there is a lot that one can deduce about a person from analyzing their profile. A skilled enough analyst can come up with age or gender, and even the ethnicity of the person behind the username. The veracity of the sentiment is certainly up for debate. But, the fact that people believe it is possible is enough to affect their perception of screen names.
There is another reason why one might want to put thought into their online profile. The issue of cybersecurity is growing. More people than ever are hyper-aware of the problem, and take every step possible to enhance their safety. Having a distinct and hard to interpret username can be a way to protect yourself according to some. Below, we are going to discuss the process of creating a perfect poker persona, and explain why screen names might matter to some.
The Issue of Security
The biggest issue for many would certainly be cybersecurity. A lot of gamblers are convinced that creating a strong username is a surefire way to remain anonymous. They do their best to make their username as difficult to interpret as possible. Some even go so far as to string a random assortment of numbers without any personal correlation. Some would question the effectiveness of this tactic. Do random usernames contribute to online security?
The truth is that changing your username from one website to the other can have a pretty positive effect on cybersecurity. It makes it harder for any external bad actors to guess the necessary info and get to your data. However, relying solely on different usernames is not enough. Players cannot expect to have a safe and positive experience if they are not using protected websites. The good news is that iGaming takes online security very seriously. All of the best online casinos in USA have incorporated some pretty complex cyber-defense mechanisms. Multi-factor authentication is a standard that all legitimate websites stick to. Know Your Customer policies have elevated the industry’s security standards to the next level. Of course, plenty of websites are also using encryption technology to ensure that their users are safer than ever.
Different and well thought-through usernames are not going to have a huge impact on cybersecurity when we compare them to the steps that online casinos have to take. However, it certainly doesn’t hurt the cause. That is why we would recommend paying attention to the username. But, don’t take it too seriously.
What Your Username Says About You
Usernames will have an effect on how fellow players perceive us whether we like it or not. Online profiles are the digital equivalent of fashion in a way. Many of us may be tailoring them to our specific tastes. But spectators will always have something to say about the others’ choices. Anything done in public is open to being criticized by the public. It could be choosing a designer skirt or including specific numbers or words in your online poker profile.
There are those who believe that a poker username can say a lot about a person. For example, it can tell us whether a person is male or female. The obvious ones are those that have hints built into the name. A male name accompanied by a number is more likely to be a man than a woman. However, some have suggested that women may want to remain anonymous on the internet in order to avoid crude comments or clingy chatters. So, male names or words like “man” and “Mr.” may not always suggest that the person behind the nom de guerre is a male. In fact, at times it may be a deliberate obfuscation.
There are other things that one can glean from usernames apart from gender or sex. Some believe that ethnicity is an easy one to get a grasp on. There may be some players that include specific words from their cultural background. An Italian player may use a word from their home country in their username. However, there is a problem here as well. Namely, there are people who speak multiple languages. An Englishman who speaks Japanese might include a Japanese word in their profile. This very issue has arisen in the crypto market. Bitcoin’s creator notoriously goes by the online pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto.” Many have assumed his ethnicity because of that name. Others have pointed out that the pseudonym is a generic Japanese name and would only be used by a non-native speaker. So, the debate about Nakamoto’s true identity continues. So does the debate of whether one can glean anything from just a cursory glance at a person’s online profile.
