Doxxing turns the information you scatter online into a weapon: someone gathers your address, phone number and workplace and publishes them to harass or intimidate you. It can happen to anyone who attracts the wrong attention. The good news is that you can make yourself a much harder target. Our GetMyPassword team explains what doxxing is, how doxxers find your details, and how to protect yourself.
What doxxing is
Doxxing — from “dropping docs” — means publicly revealing someone’s private information without consent, usually to harass, threaten or shame them. The data might include your real name, home address, phone number, workplace or family details. It is dangerous because it moves online conflict into the real world.
How doxxers find your information
- Your own social media — photos, check-ins and posts that reveal where you live or work.
- Data broker and people-search sites that compile and sell personal profiles.
- Old accounts and data breaches linking a username to your real identity.
- Reused usernames that let someone connect all your profiles into one picture.
How to protect yourself
Shrink your public footprint. Set social accounts to private, remove personal details from profiles, and avoid posting your location in real time. Opt out of data broker sites, use different usernames for sensitive accounts so they cannot be linked, and never share your address or phone publicly. The less there is to find, the harder you are to dox.
Doxxers rarely “hack” anything — they assemble what you have already made public. The strongest defence is giving them less to collect in the first place.
Lock down your accounts too
A breached account is a goldmine for a doxxer, full of personal details and contacts. Keep yours secure: give each one a unique password from our password generator and enable two-factor authentication, so a single leak cannot expose the information used to find and target you. If you are being doxxed, document everything, report it to the platforms, and contact the authorities if threats are involved.
Frequently asked questions
Is doxxing illegal?
It depends on the country and what is published, but doxxing that leads to harassment, threats or stalking is often illegal. Even where the data is technically public, using it to intimidate someone can break the law.
How do I protect myself from being doxxed?
Make social accounts private, remove personal details, opt out of data broker sites, use different usernames for sensitive accounts, and never post your address or phone publicly. Secure accounts with unique passwords and 2FA.
What should I do if I am being doxxed?
Document everything with screenshots, report it to the platforms hosting the information, and contact the authorities if there are threats. Tighten your privacy settings and consider asking data broker sites to remove your details.