Doxing (or doxxing) is the action or process of collecting and disseminating someone’s personal information in order to shame, embarrass, expose or intimidate them. This information can come from private sources but is often obtained from public records. The term derives from the phrase “dropping dox (documents)” and describes a tactic that has evolved into a form of online harassment that can escalate into stalking or other criminal conduct.
CUNY is aware of incidents of doxing targeting members of the University community, including the display of pictures and information posted on digital billboard trucks circling some of our campuses. CUNY takes the matter of doxing seriously and is committed to supporting members of its community who are targets of any form of online harassment. At the same time, CUNY is committed to free speech and academic freedom. The information on this page does not imply any restriction on those rights. It is intended only to assist members of the CUNY community in understanding and protecting themselves from doxing.
CUNY does not condone the act of doxing any member of its community. Doxing using CUNY digital resources could result in violations of CUNY policies and could result in disciplinary action. Where doxing is perpetrated by external organizations or individuals, CUNY’s options to address the conduct are limited, but we remain committed to supporting the CUNY community as best we can. In the case of billboard trucks, CUNY does not have jurisdiction over public roads surrounding our campuses. The NYPD can require vehicles to leave public streets only if they are double-parked or obstructing pedestrian crossings. Our campuses will contact the NYPD in those instances, and members of the college community can call 311.
If someone posts your name, address, phone number, email, picture, or other contact info publicly on social media or in a forum, or if you’re suddenly getting an influx of emails, phone calls or text messages, especially from people you don’t know, it’s a sign that someone may have posted your information.
Any unauthorized use of your private information is cause for concern and should not be discounted. While legal recourse options may be limited, there are steps you can take:
Here are some measures that can reduce your chances of being doxed:
Simply compiling or publishing publicly available information is rarely illegal. And there is, as yet, no explicit federal or New York State protection for doxing victims. But doxing that is driven by an intent to target individuals may trigger criminal conduct like stalking, harassment, identity theft, or incitement to violence. In some cases, existing laws against cyberharassment and digital abuse have been applied. As a growing number of Americans report being targeted by doxing, work is ongoing to update and close gaps in existing federal and state laws to better protect victims. If you believe you have been targeted by conduct that violates laws against cyberharassment, stalking or digital abuse, report the incident to the police or to Hunter’s Department of Public Safety.
The only sure way to prevent doxing is to keep your actual identity as private as possible on the internet. That means not making your personal details public or associating them with your real identity and removing your name from data broker databases. You can start by looking up your name and some common user names you use on major search engines to see what kind of information someone could find out about you. You can also set up a Google alert so you can be notified when new information about you is posted online.
Taking yourself out of school directories or submitting a request to your school to block the sharing of your information as provided under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) can reduce your chances of being doxed.
Even after you take these steps, much of the information you previously shared will remain on data broker sites. Those sites provide ways for you to opt out but the process differs from one site to another and some people use data broker removal services.