Doxxing is an online harassment tactic that involves the research, compilation, and public release of previously private or hard-to-find personal information about an individual. This can include home addresses, phone numbers, workplace details, family member information (such as a child's school), financial data, or other identifying details. When this includes intimate imagery, it becomes intimate image abuse. This information can be the result of or help facilitate cyberstalking.
Perpetrators typically share this information across public forums, such as social media platforms, to expose targets to unwanted attention, enable harassment, intimidation, or real-world harm against the target. This commmonly targets journalists and other public figures.
Sharing doxxing information is common on "collector culture" sites, many of which have moved behind paywalls and filesharing sites and have anonymous board users. 'Kudos' is gained within the group by adding a woman's details such as mobile numbers, email address, social media handles etc.
Low - Perpetrators can often find some information from scraping sites for cheap or free. Research abilities are helpful to locate additional personal information, and knowledge of how to effectively disseminate it is useful, but it doesn't require advanced technical skills.
Additionally, one person may not need to have all the skills required. Multiple individuals often work together, bringing different skills and crowdsourcing the effort.
AI tools can accelerate tracking, collection, and synthesis of personal information from multiple online sources, making doxxing faster and more comprehensive. It also makes it easier to learn how to dox someone.
AI-powered detection systems could identify when personal information is being shared inappropriately and flag content for review.
4% of Americans in a 2024 poll had been doxxed, and 23% knew someone personally who had been doxxed (Sheridan, 2024).