Lexi Webster
Doxing, or doxxing, is the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organisation, usually via the internet and without their consent. It is a form of cyber-harassment that involves unmasking someone who was previously anonymous or revealing specific details to allow someone to be located or contacted. Doxing can lead to public embarrassment and humiliation, identity theft and fraud, damage to personal and professional reputation, and significant psychological harm. In Australia, the government has been working to raise awareness about doxxing and support victims through initiatives like the Cyberbullying Scheme and Adult Cyber Abuse Scheme. The government has also proposed legislative reforms to address doxxing, including enhancing privacy protections for individuals and introducing new provisions to criminalise the practice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Doxing is the intentional online exposure of an individual's identity, private information, or personal details without their consent. |
| History | Doxing was first used on internet discussion forums in the late 1990s and gained popularity on websites like 4chan, Tumblr, and Reddit. |
| Methods | Doxing can involve publicly sharing information from public databases and social media, hacking to access private databases, or sharing previously private information obtained through criminal means. |
| Impact | Doxing can lead to public embarrassment, humiliation, identity theft, fraud, damage to reputation, and psychological harm. It can also facilitate stalking, harassment, intimidation, and extortion. |
| Legislation in Australia | The Australian government has proposed legislation to criminalize doxing, enhance privacy protections, and address cyberbullying and harassment. |
| Support | Australians can report doxing to the eSafety Commissioner, social media platforms, and law enforcement agencies. There are also support services available for victims. |
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What You'll Learn
Doxing as cyberbullying
Doxing, derived from the term "dropping dox" or "dropping documents", is a form of cyberbullying that involves the malicious use of an individual's personal information without their consent. This information is then used to harass, expose, financially harm, or exploit the victim. The information may be sourced through publicly available data, research of public records, or through unauthorised access to private databases and computer systems (hacking).
Doxing undermines the target's privacy, security, safety, and reputation. It can also lead to social and financial disadvantages, such as loss of employment. Doxing gained popularity on websites like 4chan and Tumblr, targeting and harassing individuals with differing attitudes and opinions.
In Australia, the government is proposing to enhance privacy protections for individuals by introducing new provisions to address doxxing. This includes a new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy, allowing victims to seek redress through the courts. The Australian government also supports victims of doxing through its Cyberbullying Scheme for children and the Adult Cyber Abuse Scheme for adults.
To protect oneself from doxing, individuals should review and update their privacy and security settings. If targeted, individuals should report the incident to the relevant social media platform and block unwanted contacts. They can also seek support from family, friends, or professional services.
Doxing can have severe consequences, including emotional distress, social isolation, financial loss, and even physical harm. It is important to recognise the potential impact of doxing and to respect the privacy and security of personal information.
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Doxing as cyberstalking
Doxing, or doxxing, is the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organisation, usually via the internet and without their consent. The term originates from "dropping dox", or "dropping documents", referring to the act of compiling and releasing a dossier of personal information about someone. Doxing often carries a negative connotation as it can be a means of revenge via the violation of privacy.
In the context of cyberstalking, doxing can involve the collection and publication of private or identifying information such as an individual's name, address, phone number, email address, photos, finances, family members' names, social media accounts, and other personal details. This information can be obtained through various means, including searching online through search engines and social media sites, hacking into devices or accounts, or even reaching out to friends and family members while pretending to be the target or a friend of theirs.
The Australian government is proposing to enhance privacy protections for individuals by introducing new provisions to address the practice of doxxing. These measures include a new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy, which would allow individuals to seek redress through the courts if they have fallen victim to doxxing. Additionally, the government aims to give individuals greater control and transparency over their personal information, including the introduction of new or strengthened individual rights to access, object to, erase, correct, and de-index their personal information.
It is important to note that if you are a victim of doxing or cyberstalking, you can report it to the relevant social media platforms, block unwanted contacts, and seek further support or assistance from authorities, legal or counselling services.
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Doxing as online harassment
Doxing is a form of online harassment that involves the malicious practice of revealing someone's personal information without their consent. The term originates from the phrase "dropping documents", which refers to the act of exposing an individual's identity, private information, or personal details. This information can include a person's full name, contact details, address, place of work, phone numbers, and other details that may be available online but are not intended to be shared publicly.
Doxing often has negative consequences and can be used to intimidate, embarrass, threaten, or punish the target. It undermines the victim's privacy, security, safety, and reputation, leaving them vulnerable to cyberstalking, harassment, and even physical harm. The increased use of internet technologies has made it easier for perpetrators to collect, store, and publicly share this information, expanding the network of people able to harass the victim.
In Australia, there have been efforts to address doxxing through civil remedies and criminalization. The Australian Government is proposing to enhance privacy protections and introduce new provisions to address doxxing, allowing victims to seek redress through the courts. Social media platforms are also working to prevent and respond to doxxing, and victims can report incidents to these platforms, block unwanted contacts, and seek support from authorities.
While some countries have implemented measures against doxxing, there are varying legal responses across the globe. Singapore and South Korea have criminalized doxxing, while the United States has limited legal remedies, with only a few federal laws that could potentially address the issue.
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Doxing as extortion
Doxing is the intentional online exposure of an individual's identity, private information, or personal details without their consent. It is a form of cyberbullying and harassment that can leave victims vulnerable to social and financial disadvantage, as well as fear for their safety. Doxing often carries a negative connotation due to its violation of privacy and is considered an unethical practice.
In Australia, there have been several instances of doxxing, with the government proposing to enhance privacy protections for individuals through reforms to the Privacy Act. The aggregation and provision of previously published material are generally legal, but doxing may still be subject to stalking and intimidation laws.
Doxing for extortion often involves tricking companies into handing over victims' personal data, using packet sniffing to capture passwords and bank account information, and selling or weaponizing data for profit or to harm the victim further. Victims may be shown their details as proof that they have been doxed, with perpetrators using this fear to gain power and extort or coerce them.
To protect oneself from doxing, individuals should use strong passwords, different for each account, and review and update their privacy and security settings regularly. If targeted, individuals should report the incident to the relevant social media platforms, block unwanted contacts, and seek support from authorities or legal and counselling services.
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Doxing as intimidation
Doxing, or doxxing, is the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organisation, usually via the internet and without their consent. It is derived from the term “dropping dox”, which refers to the act of compiling and releasing a dossier of personal information about someone. The term was first used in the early 1990s by hackers who would expose their opponents to harassment or legal repercussions.
Doxing is often used as a form of intimidation, with perpetrators urging others to use the information to harass the targeted individual. Victims may also be shown their details as proof that they have been doxed, allowing the perpetrator to gain power over them through extortion or coercion. This form of online harassment can cause victims to fear for their safety and can lead to social and financial disadvantages, such as loss of employment.
In Australia, there have been several instances of doxxing targeting individuals based on their religion, political views, or race. The Australian Government is proposing to enhance privacy protections and introduce new provisions to address doxxing, including a new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy. This would allow individuals to seek redress through the courts and have greater control and transparency over their personal information.
While doxxing itself may not be illegal in some countries, it can still have serious consequences. It is important to note that revealing private information about someone without their consent can undermine their privacy, security, safety, and reputation. If you are a victim of doxxing, it is recommended to report it to the relevant social media platforms, block unwanted contacts, and seek support from authorities or legal and counselling services.
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Frequently asked questions
Doxing is the intentional online exposure of an individual’s identity, private information or personal details without their consent.
Doxing can turn into a crime if it forms part of a pattern of behaviour designed to intimidate, stalk or harass another person. The Australian government has also announced that it will be moving forward with legislation to make doxing a criminal offence.
In 2019, far-right activist Avi Yemeni posted the personal phone number of journalist Osman Faruqi on social media, leading to the Pakistani-born Australian receiving thousands of racist and abusive messages.
Report to the social media platform where the doxed material is posted, block unwanted contacts, seek further support or assistance from eSafety, the police, or a legal, counselling or support service, and review and update your privacy and security settings.
Some motivations for doxing include revealing harmful behaviour and holding the offender accountable, to embarrass, scare, threaten, or punish someone, or for cyberstalking.
