In what states is doxxing illegal?
Asked by: Maymie Batz | Last update: October 11, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (68 votes)
Can I sue if I get doxxed?
Can you sue for doxxing? Yes, it is possible to sue for doxxing, especially if they post private or personal data of yours. You can bring a tort, which is a type of civil suit against the people who doxx you.
Can you call 911 for doxxing?
In an emergency situation, please call GWPD at 202-994-6111 or MPD at 911. Because online abuse/harassment and doxing could be considered illegal behavior, you may choose to contact local law enforcement to file a police report.
Is doxxing legal in California?
Is Doxxing Illegal in California? Penal Code section 653.2 is also the California “doxxing” law. Yes, doxxing is illegal in California under harassment and cyberbullying laws.
Is doxxing illegal in Hawaii?
Even though Hawaii doesn't have an explicit anti-doxxing law, doxing might lead to certain activities that are illegal in the state. These include harassment, stalking, and swatting.
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Can using a VPN prevent doxxing?
Can a VPN prevent doxxing? A VPN prevents people from tracing your IP address, which can deter potential doxxers. However, a VPN is only one layer of protection, and should not be relied upon alone, as personal information can still come from social media accounts, public records, or data breaches.
Is doxxing illegal in Colorado?
However, some state anti-doxxing laws punish individuals for providing information, such as the anti-doxxing law in Colorado, which stipulates that it is a misdemeanor to “to knowingly make available on the internet personal information about a protected person or the protected person's immediate family” if the ...
Is doxxing illegal in all states?
There are currently no federal laws that explicitly criminalize doxing members of the public. A handful of states, including California, Arizona, and Illinois, have recently adopted laws criminalizing certain forms of doxing.
Can you go to jail for harassing text messages?
If the recipient of the message feels threatened or intimidated, the sender can face charges for making criminal threats. Criminal threats refer to verbal or written threats that cause another person to fear for their safety. Such charges can lead to fines, probation, and even imprisonment.
Is doxxing illegal in Michigan?
Doxxing Penalties in Michigan
It proposes a five-year felony with up to $5,000 in fines if the doxxing is in “a manner that involves a continued pattern of harassing or intimidating behavior and by that violation causes serious injury to the victim.”
Can I file a police report for doxxing?
Once you have evidence (or sooner if you are under immediate physical threat), you should contact local law enforcement. It's not generally against the law to dox someone in the US, but it is illegal to harass someone – and sometimes doxxers can go well beyond simple harassment to severe physical endangerment.
Can you protect yourself from Doxxing?
Use secure wi-fi networks such as eduroam , and/or a trusted Virtual Private Network (VPN) available free to students. Use strong and unique passwords, especially for your most important accounts, e.g. financial, email, government, etc. Vary usernames across platforms.
Is doxing illegal in Texas?
Texas has passed new laws that expand the scope of cybercrimes: offenses committed by use of computers or other electronic devices. These measures include outlawing of “doxing,” the publication or dissemination of a person's sensitive, private information without permission and with the intent to cause harm.
Is doxxing illegal in Oregon?
In Oregon, there are laws against menacing, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, telephonic harassment, stalking, and misconduct with emergency telephone calls – all of which are activities that can occur after someone exposes your personal information.
Can you be sued for posting public information?
Yes, you can sue someone for slander on social media, but proving the case can be very challenging at times as you will need a lot of evidence and backup from your lawyers. Naturally, it is much easier for politicians or celebrities with powerful legal teams to win a case than for private figures.
Is doxxing illegal in Pennsylvania?
Perpetrators who engage in doxing may face criminal charges of harassment, intimidation, hacking, assault, or invasion of privacy. Victims, on the other hand, may seek legal recourse by filing civil lawsuits.
How to legally tell someone to stop contacting you online?
You can file a complaint with the police and get a restraining order (court order of protection) against the stalker.
Can you call the police on someone who keeps texting you?
Conclusion. If you're being bullied or harassed by pesky or abusive text messages, you now know what you need to do to report what's happening to law enforcement. After filing a police report, they can investigate your case and bring the harassment to a stop.
How many text messages are considered harassment?
When you keep sending repeated text messages, it can count as harassment. Keep in mind, though, that there are some exceptions. For instance, a friend of yours asking if you're okay may send repeated messages if you're not answering. Naturally, this would not be considered harassment.
Can you sue for doxxing?
Even with free speech considerations, you may have legal avenues to address any online harassment or doxing, such as a cease and desist letter or pursuing a legal complaint. These avenues can serve as deterrents and, in some cases, lead to compensation or justice.
Is it illegal to post someone's phone number online?
If someone were to put your name and phone number on social media without your consent, that kind of an exposure could be considered an invasion of your privacy and if it resulted in problems for you, you may have a viable lawsuit.
Is doxxing illegal in California?
Under California Penal Code § 653.2 PC, anyone intentionally using an electronic communication device to cause another person to fear for their safety or that of their immediate family can be charged with a misdemeanor.
Is doxxing illegal in Utah?
Doxxing is a new digital phenomenon and is not technically illegal in many states. Utah legislation passed in 2017, however, made doxxing a criminal offense in Utah. Disseminating a person's personal or identifying information online may be a misdemeanor offense in Utah.
Is doxxing illegal in Louisiana?
No. The act of doxxing someone, or publishing their information online without authorization, is not in and of itself illegal in Louisiana. However, doxxing can lead to activities that are definitely considered illegal in the state.