Doxxing
This is when people expose your private information, e.g where you live or your phone number with malicious intentions such as to harass, shame, extort, coerce, expose or harm you. If you are doxxed, retaining evidence of the doxxing is important.
What to do ?
Take screenshots of the information being revealed about you for reporting purposes.
Move to a location you consider safe and turn off your phone’s geolocation.
Inform law enforcement of credible threats to your life.OR
Seek legal aid from a HRD programme such as Frontline Defenders through their emergency contact
More information on the threat
There are several ways that a person’s private information can be revealed on the internet:
If you are a registered domain name holder, certain information about you can be publicly available on WHOIS. Invest in WHOIS protection. WHOIS protection is a service offered by a number of domain name registrars to protect your information. This is because when a domain name is registered, your full name, address, phone number and email address is required and is made public via a WHOIS lookup making it available to everyone.
Other ways you can reduce your public information online include:
Protect your private contacts by avoiding leaving them public sites such as social media. If your phone number is exposed and connected to your social media accounts, get a separate number for private communications
If you suspect that a private service provider such as a food delivery has shared or exposed your private contacts, ask them to delete your number from their database.
- Reduce your digital footprint by taking steps such as a data detox.
- To reduce linkages between information, consider creating separate usernames across platforms, use strong passwords, use multi-factor authentication
Get moral support from trusted friends and colleagues, do not face the threat alone.
- Use disposable contact details on untrustworthy websites