Have you ever heard the term “doxing?” This may seem like a relatively new term, but the act itself is not exactly a new concept. The word doxing is a slang term, sometimes used in corporate contexts, that refers to “dropping documents” or otherwise exposing the contents of what should be classified information. Doxing is still in the process of becoming a law in New York State (Senate Bill S7646}, but it’s still an act that has criminal implications as it’s often executed alongside other crimes.

Posting someone else’s personal, private information on a public forum without their intent is doxing, especially when the information shared was shared with the intention of causing real world harm. We’ve seen an uptick in this kind of activity with the advent of the internet, as that’s typically the setting in which this crime occurs.

For example, let’s say two individuals were engaged in an argument on a social media site. As the conversation grew to be more heated, one individual decided to post the other’s home address and phone number in order to encourage others to show up to his house and continue the argument. Doxing is not yet illegal, but if you unlawfully sourced the victim’s information, and subsequently caused real world harm, these are very punishable crimes.

If you’ve been caught up with doxing, you need to contact a tough criminal defense attorney who will fight aggressively to minimize your penalties. Read on to learn more about doxing and why it is a crime, and contact Hempstead criminal defense attorney Gianni Karmily if you need legal defense against this charge.

What Makes Doxing Potentially A Crime?

People use social media sites expecting to only share what they feel comfortable with. Some people choose to use the Internet and social media sites with complete anonymity. Doxing removes this protection and puts the victim at risk of harm.

If you have been linked or tied to a doxing situation in any capacity, and broke the law, you can be arrested. In some states, the act of searching for someone’s information itself may be considered illegal, depending specifically on which websites are used and what tactics to get the sensitive information. If someone hacked a victim’s account on a website, purchased it from a database of illegally collected information, or even broke into their home, car, or office in real life, this is considered a crime.

And, once you’ve sourced the victim’s information, sharing it online is illegal. It’s also safe to assume that harassing or assaulting the victim in person, leveraging information from the doxing incident, can lead to a number of charges. You can be charged with stalking, or even assault, depending on the context, in addition to the soon-to-be unlawful act of doxing.

What Tactics Are Used In A Doxing Event?

Someone who is intent on doxing, or posting someone else’s private, personal information, does not necessarily need to break the law in order to do so. Sometimes, people who want to dox someone else will simply search online or in person for information. As long as someone knows their target’s full first and last name, there are many routes they can take and tactics they can use to dox someone.

Committing the crime of doxing can become complex for a variety of reasons. If you broke the law in order to receive someone’s personal information, such as hacked into their bank account or personal medical records, your charge will be compounded with these associated unlawful acts. Additionally, if you unlawfully found someone’s information, doxed them online, and then that doxing caused them to be hurt, harmed, or stalked or because others’ became privy to their private information, you could rack up even more charges. Understand that doxing is an act that is often never isolated, so those that are charged with it may also be facing many other charges. As you know, when you have more charges, your penalty increases, so hiring a criminal defense lawyer right away is the smartest step you can take.

What Happens If I Have Been Charged With Doxing In New York?

If you or a loved one has been caught up with doxing in New York, you need a strong lawyer to represent you. The state is tough on crime, and doxing is taken seriously in a court of law, especially when it leads to violence in real life.

Hempstead criminal defense attorney Gianni Karmily has an extensive legal background, considerable courtroom experience, and an impressive record of success on behalf of his clients. With the help of attorney Gianni Karmily, you’ll receive effective, high-quality legal defense and will explore every avenue available to make the best out of your situation.