Should the Steam account name be visible?

[dReamS]

Ok so I had an argument with my beloved GF. She was asking me why would you have to hide your steam account name and have a visible profile name instead. I told her it's because you use the account name to log in and there is no reason for someone else to know it, and you can be seen and found by your profile name instead.
Then she tells me that it's pure ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ that you have to hide your profile account because you still need the password and that's enough. She compared Steam to PayPal which she says you have to give the email address of your account to someone else to send you money, therefore knowing half of your login credential. She is stating that Steam should not be more secure than PayPal.
After hours of arguing, she still believes whatever she believed at first. What would you say in this situation?

[JPMcMillen]

The best way to keep someone out of your account is if they don't know either your login name or password.

Because lord only knows how many total accounts got hacked into back when Steam didn't require 2FA on all accounts (email or app).

[J4MESOX4D]

The login name is a partial credential and scammers can still add it to a sweep database in an attempt to bot a successful login attempt even if it is thwarted by the guard. Even the client now shows just your display name rather than the actual account login name after people creating content which showed the client were put at risk. As the login name can't be changed either, it's important to not allow it to become exposed even if there are two further requirements to access an account. Other sites typically can see you be able to change your 'name' along with password but not on Steam.

Because of Steam Guard, it's not a disaster if the login name is captured and scammers have easier and far more effective methods available but old-school botters still attack users this way if such data becomes leaked.

[RiO]

Originally posted by dReamS:

What would you say in this situation?

If people don't know your actual account name, they also cannot attempt account recovery options - including social engineering attacks on support desks - to steal your account.

[Kargor]

Also, Steam is one of the very few platforms where your visible name doesn't have to be unique, like your login name. You can even change the display name, if you want to.

[Tristin]

Its funny how you managed to argue on such topic for hours.
Here's a good example: Having your account name visible is like doing it with no condom.
Its not secure. That's it. It doesn't matter how other people do it, they have their own way of things, like taking pills or whatnot.

[maroko216]

o

[сыр хохланд]

55

[Kon - Alfyus]

It's surely safer to not show it. An hacker would surely aim for a steam account name they already know

[KalGimpa]

Originally posted by Tristin:

Its funny how you managed to argue on such topic for hours

this is what i thought

op, is this something that she really cares that much about?

if so, why?

what would i say?

so what, get over it