Recently there was a situation regarding vtuber agency Vshojo. Someone was going around impersonating the company, sending fake recruitment material to get the personal info of vtubers in order to doxx and SWAT them.
OPSEC (Operations security) is and has been an issue in idol culture for a long time. Obviously it’s a problem if the general public knows, for example, where an idol lives. While most people don’t pose a threat, a single overzealous fan (or hater) can be enough to ruin lives.
This goes double for vtubers. Because their real identities are hidden, it’s even more important to be sure none of their personal info leaks. There are absolutely people who will feverishly dig for whatever they can to find vtubers’ real faces, addresses, etc.
As more and more independent vtubers and small agencies spring up, the need for vtuber OPSEC will only grow.
A dedicated vtuber OPSEC consultant would understand cybersecurity and the internet culture surrounding vtubers. They would be able to create general standards and best practices to follow, as well as work with individual vtubers’ needs. They would also need to be adept at internet sleuthing themselves, in order to find any roundabout ways their client might be exposed.
In addition, it’d be an extra advantage to have a relationship with legal entities able to serve DMCA notices and the like. If a vtuber is compromised in some way and their info gets released, it’s imperative that the person who released it is found and dealt with quickly and aggressively.
By necessity, this would be a high-trust position. Vtubers would be trusting a person like this with their real identities. It’d be similar to working in InfoSec for a company. They know all the company’s vulnerabilities because it’s their responsibility to protect them. And if they deliberately or negligently break that trust, they’re liable for the damage caused.
The trust factor would be a sticking point. Someone looking to be hired into this position would need to be able to prove that they can be trusted with sensitive information. Prior experience in InfoSec would likely be a plus.
Vtuber OPSEC is a serious issue that has effects not just on company revenue, but on the mental health of the talent. Suzuhara Lulu retired in summer 2021, citing IRL harassment as part of the reason.
As new business sectors expand, specialists start to become necessary. We’ve seen this already in the vtuber space as demand increased for Live2D specialists. So, too, will vtubers and vtuber agencies need specialists on the back-end.