Doxxing is the act of finding and publishing someone’s private information online without their consent, often to harass, intimidate or punish them. That information can include a home address, phone number, workplace or family details. The term is also spelled “doxing.”

What doxxing looks like

Doxxing ties an online identity to a real person. Common targets include a home address, phone number, employer and the names of family members.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) defines it as “The act of maliciously revealing a person’s private information to the public, such as name, address, and phone number.”

Doxxers often piece these details together from public sources—like property or court records—and the small clues people share across social media platforms.

The term originates from the earlier phrase “dropping docs” (documents). Today, both “doxing” and “doxxing” are widely used and mean the same thing.

Why doxxing matters for brands and social teams

Social media and community managers are the public face of a brand, making them vulnerable targets during a crisis or viral backlash. Online abuse is an unfortunate reality for public-facing roles, so protecting your team must be a priority.

Doxxing can also target customers and community members in your own comment sections. When it happens on your page, act fast to protect your community.

Protecting your community starts with a proactive strategy. Establish team guidelines on social media etiquette to show staff which personal details to keep offline. Build a moderation plan that empowers your team to swiftly remove exposed personal info, report it to the platform and document every incident.

The legal picture varies. Currently, no US federal law explicitly criminalizes doxxing members of the public, and state laws differ widely.

Learn how to protect your team and community with a social media risk management plan.

Doxxing vs. trolling

Trolling is about provoking people through the repetitive posting of inflammatory or hateful comments online.

Doxxing goes further. It exposes a person’s real-world identity and location, so the harm can move offline. DHS names stalking and harassment among doxxing’s purposes, and swatting is often a direct result of these attacks.

The two often overlap when a troll escalates from insults to exposing personal details.

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