What does Doxxing mean?
Doxxing is the malicious practice of researching and publicly releasing someone’s private or identifying information without their consent.
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Slang. Also written doxing, doxxed, doxed.
Where it comes from
Originated in the hacker subculture of the early 1990s, where the phrase "dropping docs" (shortened to "dox") referred to exposing a rival’s real-world identity to strip away their online anonymity. Over time, the noun became a verb and spread beyond hacker forums to mainstream social media platforms.
How it is actually used
Doxxing is used to describe a form of severe online harassment, intimidation, or vigilante justice. The term is serious and carries heavy legal and ethical implications, as the act often leads to real-world threats, harassment, or job loss. Brands must never use the term lightly or in playful contexts. On brand accounts, the term is typically only referenced in the context of community safety guidelines, crisis management, or cybersecurity advice.
Examples
- "he was forced to delete his account after a co-ordinated doxxing campaign"
- "our community guidelines strictly prohibit doxxing and harassment"
- "sharing someone’s private address online is a form of doxxing"
Can a brand use it? Avoid on a brand account
Never use this term in casual or marketing content. It refers to a harmful, potentially illegal act of cyberbullying, and should only be referenced by brands when discussing security, privacy policies, or user safety.
Related terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What does doxxing mean?
Doxxing is the act of gathering and publicly releasing private or identifying information about an individual, such as their home address or phone number, without their consent.
Where does the word doxxing come from?
The term comes from the 1990s hacker phrase "dropping docs" (short for documents), which meant exposing a rival hacker's real identity to strip them of their anonymity.
Is doxxing illegal?
While there is no single overarching law against doxxing in many jurisdictions, the act often violates laws related to harassment, stalking, data protection, and computer crime.
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