When I'm in game, 90% of the time another rank is in the same lobby as me, you can bet that guy is going to be rushing me in particular.
What I'm saying, focussing happens and you just need to deal with it.
If you don't think focussing ranked players is a good thing, then why don't you like this optional idea which could make it less likely to happen? What are the faults with the idea? Why don't you think it would work (if you don't think it would work)?
Removing a rank may not solve this either, as people recognise others by their name if they are actively attempting to target them. If you believe you are being targeted by someone in your game, you can switch lobbies from them if you spot them. Join games which are near to filling so they won’t be able to join with you. There are multiple different ways which you can stop the same person / people targeting you.
What you are describing here is tactical targetting, where other players recognise your IGN and that you are very good so they target you. You are right, the only way to stop this is by just leaving targetters' games.
But the thread isn't about tactical targetters, I am specifically talking about people who see a coloured name in chat and target them ONLY for that reason, because of the possibility that they might be good or if they voted for something they don't like. That, in my opinion, IS preventable, or at least you can REDUCE it if you implement something to similar to what I suggested. Also I would have agreed with you about the difference between YouTuber and normal ranked player targetting, but actually if you look at petezahhutt's content (probably cube's most well known youtuber), even he admits that targetting does exist vs players with donator ranks and said that it sucks the same way youtuber targetting sucks etc if you look at his videos.
I’d love to see that specific comment. :p
There was a much more rude one he posted months ago which I can't find anymore, but as you can see he is rudely dismissing the problem by saying things like "normal ranked players don't need such a feature" and all that nonsense because he doesn't believe ranked targetting exists. A shame an admin looks down on the community like this, a real shame.