Doxxing

What is doxxing (or doxing)?

Doxxing is a form of online harassment where someone shares another person’s personal or identifying information without their consent. This may include a person’s full legal name, address, place of work, phone number, or contact details of family members.

Often, individuals retrieve this information from content already available online, but some may resort to hacking or guessing passwords to access someone’s private data.

If you’ve experienced online abuse or harassment, or any other online issue, contact Netsafe for advice and guidance. Our helpline is free, confidential and available 7 days a week. 

Report online (https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/new)Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])Text 'Netsafe' to 4282 (sms:4282?body=Netsafe)Live chat support Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends (tel:0508638723)New Zealanders overseas can call +64 9 666 0840 (tel:+6496660840)

I got doxxed - what do I do?

1. Report the post and account to the platform: If the content is posted on a platform with reporting functions, report both the post and the account(/social-media-safety) of the person who posted it.
2. Secure your social media and online accounts: Review ​​privacy settings on your social media and online accounts(/social-media-safety). Set profiles to private and restrict who can contact you. Consider changing your social media profile names if you suspect you are being tracked.
3. Inform friends and family: If you feel comfortable, notify your friends and family about the situation as doxxers might target them too. Advise them to set their social media profiles to private.
4. Ask the doxxer to take it down: If you know the doxxer and it is safe, ask them to remove the posts. Alternatively, you can ask a mutual friend to intervene.
5. Contact Netsafe for advice.

If your receive threats or are concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or someone else, call 111(tel:111).

How to protect yourself from being doxxed

• Be cautious about what you share online: Think twice before posting any personal details online, as these can be used against you.
• Conduct a web search on yourself: Look up your name and personal details to see what information is publicly available. Remove any identifying or personal information that could be misused.
• Use strong passwords: Ensure your passwords are strong and unique for each account. Enable two-factor authentication for added protection. Refer to our ‘How to choose a strong password(/online-safety-at-home/how-to-choose-a-good-password)’ guide for more details.
• Report abuse early: In the event of a disagreement online, use the ‘report’ and ‘block’ features to handle abusive content rather than engaging in arguments, which could escalate to doxxing.

Is doxxing illegal?

Under the Harmful Digital Communications Act (HDCA)(/our-work/helpline-services/the-harmful-digital-communications-act), sending messages or posting online content that intentionally causes severe emotional distress can be illegal.

If you're experiencing this, you can reach out to Netsafe for assistance. We can guide you through the available options and steps to help resolve the issue.

If you're experiencing online abuse, fallen victim to a scam, or need some advice about another online issue, Netsafe is here to support you.

Our helpline is free, confidential and non-judgmental - providing expert advice and assistance seven days a week.

Report online (https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/new)Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])Text 'Netsafe' to 4282 (sms:4282?body=Netsafe)Live chat support Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends (tel:0508638723)New Zealanders overseas can call +64 9 666 0840 (tel:+6496660840)