Doxxing is the act of publicly exposing someone’s personal information without their consent. For quite some time, it has become an alarming issue across the world. This form of online harassment can have severe consequences for victims. It may range from identity theft and harassment to physical harm.
Now, you might be wondering and the question on your mind arises: Is doxxing illegal, and can you go to jail for doxxing someone?
Keep reading to explore the world of doxxing, and how it works, is doxxing illegal? Later on, you’ll learn how you can protect yourself from this and ways to report any kind of doxxing.
What is Doxxing?
Doxxing involves disclosing various personal details such as real names, addresses, jobs, or other identifying information without the victim’s permission. Its purpose is to humiliate, bully, harass, or harm the person. Doxxing can target anyone, from anonymous individuals posting offensive comments to public figures and politicians. The methods used in doxxing attacks are diverse and can range from relatively mild tactics like fake mail sign-ups. There are more dangerous actions such as swatting and identity theft.
Doxxing can be fueled by revenge, anger, a sense of justice, or a desire for personal publicity. The hacker group Anonymous, known for its vigilante attacks, has engaged in doxxing since 2011. The reasons behind doxxing can be complex and include punishment, social justice, or personal rivalries.
What Are the Types of Doxxing?
Several methods are commonly employed in doxxing to obtain sensitive data:
1. Phishing:
Doxxers mainly use fraudulent social engineering tricks, such as phishing. They use this method to manipulate individuals into revealing personal information. Clickbait links, emails, or websites are created to mimic legitimate ones and deceive their targets.
2. WHOIS:
When a domain is registered, information such as name, address, phone number, and email is added to a public WHOIS database. These databases are meant to be transparent. However, these become a valuable resource for doxxers seeking personal information.
3. Government Records:
Public databases often house government records like property deeds, court cases, and voter registrations. These records can also be a source of information, providing enough data for a doxxing attack.
4. IP Tracking:
Each online device has a unique IP address that shows details about an individual’s location, online activity, and visited sites. Doxxers use IP addresses to extract such information. This is making the use of VPNs essential to mask online footprints.
5. Social Media Stalking:
Social media platforms, like X (formerly known as Twitter) or Facebook, filled with user-generated content, contain a wealth of personal data. Here, doxxers can get details from birthdays and residence details to daily activities and trips. They mine this information, sometimes creating fake profiles to enter their target’s social circle.
6. Packet Sniffing:
This method involves capturing and analyzing data packets exchanged between a device and a network. By tracking these packets, doxxers can extract private data about their targets.
7. Reverse Lookups:
Online tools exist that can reveal personal details from limited data, such as phone numbers or email addresses. While these tools have legitimate uses, doxxers can exploit them for their schemes.
8. Data Brokers:
Specialized businesses collect, process, and trade personal data. Obtaining data from these brokers gives doxxers a more weapon in their toolbox for creating thorough profiles of their targets.
Is Doxxing Illegal?
While doxxing itself may not always be illegal, its legality depends on the jurisdiction and how the information was obtained. If the disclosed information is in the public domain and acquired legally, doxxing may not be considered illegal. However, in some cases, doxxing may violate stalking, harassment, or threat-related laws. Laws surrounding doxxing are evolving, and their interpretation may vary, making it a legally grey area.
The severity of the information revealed also plays a role. For example, in the United States, doxxing a government employee is considered a federal offence under conspiracy laws. Despite potential legal loopholes, doxing often violates websites’ terms of service, leading to potential bans. The unethical nature of doxxing, combined with its malicious intent, can expose individuals to dangers such as harassment, identity theft, and job loss.
Can You Go to Jail for Doxxing?
While doxxing itself may not result in imprisonment, it can lead to other illegal activities. If doxxing triggers harassment, cyberstalking, threats, identity theft, or incites violence, those offences can be charged. Understanding the legal implications of online actions is crucial, as they may have real-world consequences.
How to Prevent Doxxing?
To lessen the risk of doxxing, individuals can take the below-mentioned measures:
Self-Doxxing Awareness: Conducting a self-doxxing check by searching for personal information online can reveal vulnerabilities. Remove any available personal information promptly.
Secure Online Accounts: Use strong, unique passwords for each account, change them frequently, and avoid sharing login details among family and friends. Employ a password manager app for added security.
Limit Social Media Sharing: Avoid oversharing sensitive information on social media platforms and delete unused accounts. Implement privacy settings to restrict access to personal details.
VPN Usage: Employ a virtual proxy network (VPN) to conceal your IP address and protect online footprints, especially when using public Wi-Fi networks.
Multi-Factor Authentication: Enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible to enhance account security.
Regular Monitoring: Set up alerts for unrecognized device access on online accounts and create Google alerts for your name and its variants to stay informed about potential doxxing attempts.
Subscription to Personal Data Removal Services: Consider subscribing to personal data removal services like DeleteMe to enhance online privacy.
Is Reporting Doxxing Possible?
If you become a victim of doxxing, take the following steps:
Gather Evidence: Capture screenshots or save any messages, posts, or images containing doxxing information.
Contact Law Enforcement: Reach out to local law enforcement, providing them with the collected evidence and emphasizing the severity of the situation.
Report to Platform: If the doxxing occurs on a specific online platform, use its reporting mechanisms to flag the content and provide detailed information about the incident.
Conclusion:
Doxxing remains a significant online threat with potentially severe consequences for victims. While the legality of doxxing is debatable, the potential for legal effects exists, especially when it leads to criminal activities. That’s why, understanding the methods, consequences, and preventive measures against doxxing is essential for safeguarding personal information and promoting online safety.
Society must continue to address and combat this form of cyber harassment to create a safer and more secure online environment for everyone.