Understanding Doxxing and its New Legal Consequences

Doxxing Legislation: A New Era in Privacy Protection

The act of releasing someone's personal information online with malicious intent - known as doxxing - is set to become a criminal offence. The federal government has introduced legislation to parliament to outlaw doxxing and strengthen privacy protections.

Understanding the New Penalties for Doxxing

• Doxxing typically reveals phone numbers or addresses online without consent, often to encourage harassment.
• Offenders face a maximum penalty of seven years in prison if doxxing targets individuals based on their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, nationality, or national or ethnic origin.
• A shorter maximum penalty of six years applies to doxxing that does not involve personal characteristics.

The Impact of Doxxing

Doxxing must be conducted in a manner that reasonable persons would regard as being menacing or harassing to be considered an offence. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus remarked that doxxing can cause public embarrassment, humiliation, shaming, discrimination, stalking, identity theft, financial fraud, and can inflict significant psychological harm.

Addressing Doxxing Within the Context of Domestic Violence

• Dreyfus noted that doxxing is often a damaging form of abuse, particularly against women in domestic violence situations.
• After the public exposure of Jewish individuals online earlier this year, the government has prioritized addressing doxxing incidents.

Future Privacy Changes and Children’s Protection

The government aims to bring the Privacy Act into the digital age with more changes, including a right to sue for privacy invasions. Additionally, there will be a specific children's privacy code to protect children from online harms. Regulatory powers of the Information Commissioner will also be expanded in line with these proposed laws.