The Dutch Senate executed a new law on January 11th that makes “doxing” (publicly releasing someone’s personal information online) a criminal offense due to its relationship with intimidation.
According to Reuters, doxing has become more common as a form of harassment in the Netherlands, namely targeting emergency services, police officers, politicians, journalists, scientists, and government employees. Some states, including South Korea, Hong Kong, and parts of California, have enacted similar legislation to fight internet harassment.
Although many forms of harassment are already criminal in the Netherlands, trials for doxing frequently fail because the perpetrators, who publicly publish others’ private information, do not pose a “specific threat.”
The new law is set to go into force on January 1, 2024. Violators of the doxing statute face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to €22,000 (about 105,780 MYR).
