[themistocle]

> We find that doxing victims in our data set are overwhelmingly male, have an average age in their 20s, and a significant number are part of gamer communities (or maintain accounts with multiple video-game related websites). We also find that most doxes include highly identifying information of the victim and family members, such as full legal names, phone numbers and online social networking accounts.

I hope someone uses this research as a starting point for an investigation of why gamers are so heavily doxed. Might help us predict and prevent more doxing in the future.

[jstarfish]

Gamers are particularly bad about it, but I think it can apply to anybody who spends an inordinate amount of time attached to a computer or phone.

My theory is that they spend so much time playing games or screwing around, performing repetitive activities that have no consequence, that other activities they perform via virtual means just become an extension of their gaming mindset.

I think the same goes for Dread Pirate Roberts, the guy who wrote Mirai, perpetrators of cyberbullying and others-- they spend so much time wrapped up in a digital world where they get to play God with no consequence that the real-world implications of their digital lives start to become blurred.

* You can tell your parents you love them with the push of a button.

* You can have food brought to you with the push of a button.

* You can take a picture of your cat doing something stupid with the push of a button.

* You can send it to millions of people with the push of a button.

* You can buy clothes, household supplies or a car with the push of a button.

* You can conduct business with the push of a button.

* You can build and explore virtual worlds with the push of a button.

* You can create virtual life with the push of a button.

* You can destroy virtual life with the push of a button.

* You can tell someone they're ugly with the push of a button.

* You can distribute naked pictures of someone who trusted you with the push of a button.

* You can buy something expensive and make someone else pay for it with the push of a button.

* You can cripple the internet with the push of a button.

* You can put out a hit on someone with the push of a button.

You press buttons all day long for fun or for work, with no negative feedback. What's one more button?

[yorwba]

I don't get what most of your comment has to do with getting doxxed. Are you saying that gamers spend a lot of time on the internet, and doxxing is a thing that happens on the internet, so they get doxxed more frequently?

[pixl97]

>Are you saying that gamers spend a lot of time on the internet, and doxxing is a thing that happens on the internet, so they get doxxed more frequently?

Well, in some ways that make sense... Someone that rarely goes to the ocean is far less likely to get bit by a shark than a person that operates a saltwater fishing service.

So not only are most of their lives available in digital form and most of the human interactions they have in digital form, there is also a competitive angle to this. John beats Bob at $game, or John says Bob sucks at $game. Bob in an attempt to defend his honor can use conventional retorts, but they are less useful on the internet. Threats of physical violence are generally thwarted by long distances between actors. Bob attempting to turn the crowd against John to save face may be difficult, especially if John is actually better at the game. This leaves Bob with the thermonuclear option, Doxxing. It is likely highly effective in communities like this too. John in his attempt to deal with the fallout from the doxxing will likely have less time to commit to said gaming, and will have to deal with the stressful real life issues this causes.

[jstarfish]

There's also botting and the true nuclear option, swatting.

Thanks for clarifying. I couldn't phrase it any better.

[im3w1l]

Gamers like to dox. Gamers hang out with other gamers, which increases their chance of being doxed.

That answers all questions save for one: Why do gamers dox? Because they have a lot of young males that see fucking someone over as a fun game.

This is all based on my personal experiences so make of it what you will.