Doxing is defined as “publicly identify[ing] or publish[ing] private information about (someone) especially as a form of punishment or revenge.”[1] Traditionally, doxing involves the distribution of someone’s personal information across the internet against that person’s will, such as revealing a person’s concealed identity without consent. In other instances, doxing involves weaving together disparate facts about a person or organization to paint a certain, often misleading, picture—and then repeating the story with the hope that it will receive attention from others. More recently, sites like Medium.com have expanded the definition of doxing to include not only the distribution of private or obscure personal information but also the aggregation of publicly available information to target, shame, blackmail, harass, intimidate, threaten, or endanger. [2]
As the sharing of personal information online becomes exponentially more prominent, understanding how information is acquired and the motivation behind the doxing are important to take steps in order to remove it. There are several proactive, and reactive, recommended steps that can be taken to mitigate your exposure and risk, minimizing the available information that may be subject to doxing-related tactics.
[1] Doxing, Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
[2] Medium, Medium Rules, Medium.com (Nov. 2019)
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Ankura is not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice.
This article was originally published by the American Bar Association Section of Litigation Business Torts & Unfair Competition Journal.
