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I have had an account with Blizzard for several years now. I changed my username (referred to as a battletag) only once, over a year ago.

I now want to change it again because searching it on Google shows personal info about me that I don't want others to know.

Blizzard charge for changing the username. I contacted them mentioning GDPR, and was told it looks too generic to be personal data, so I would have to pay for a change. Their GDPR contact agreed with this.

Surely it is personal data, because they can search it within their own database and link it to my real name which makes it personal data under GDPR.

Am I not understanding GDPR correctly, or are they violating my rights?

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It’s personal data

... but why do you think you can change it for free?

It’s clearly personal data because it can be demonstrably linked to you, both within and outside Blizzard’s database. Presumably, you consented Blizzard having it or they have some other legitimate basis for having it. So far, this is all GDPR compliant.

You have a right to be forgotten, so you can ask Blizzard to delete your account. You have a right to confirm the information is correct.

And that’s it.

They can charge you a fee to change your user name just like your government can charge you a fee to change your real name.

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  • The max fee before GDPR for access to your data was about £10. GDPR removed this for standard requests. However, the ICO also says a firm may charge a "reasonable fee" when "a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly if it is repetitive." I wouldn't consider this unfounded, excessive or repetitive, would you?
    – flexi
    Oct 14, 2019 at 22:27
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    No - this is not a fee for data access, its a fee to change a username.
    – Dale M ♦
    Oct 14, 2019 at 22:43
  • oh, so access is free but can charge for a change? Can you provide the reference for this?
    – flexi
    Oct 15, 2019 at 12:39
  • @flexi the GDPR does not give you a right to change the username. So you cannot base your request to change the username on the GDPR. They don't even have to give you the option to change your username. So if they do give you the option to change your username, they can ask a fee for it. Your alternative would be deleting your account and creating a new one.
    – wimh
    Oct 15, 2019 at 21:58
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The GDPR includes a right to correct incorrect data (Article 16). But (without being a lawyer) I doubt that the change of an user name would be considered a correction.

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