The minister sends a bill to make doxing a criminal offense to the House of Representatives

The Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius has sent a bill that should make doxing a criminal offense to the House of Representatives. Under the bill, people found guilty of doxing could be jailed for up to a year.

below the criminalization bill using personal data for intimidating purposes it becomes a criminal offense to use personal data to intimidate someone. The minister cites as an example sharing someone’s home address in a chat group, after which someone is intimidated at home. Another example is that a photo and telephone number of an ex are shared on a forum, with the aim of scaring that ex.

Not only perpetrators fall under the law. The proposal also refers to facilitating parties such as internet platforms. If it turns out that someone is being doxed with a message, the platform must, for example, remove that content or make it inaccessible. Journalists and whistleblowers ‘who disclose personal data in good faith’ are not covered by the proposal.

Anyone who distributes identifying personal data of another person with the aim of frightening or hindering that other person, or with the aim of having someone else do so, can be jailed for up to one year under the bill. A fine of up to 9,000 euros is also possible. Victims can also start civil proceedings in which damages and the removal of the content can be demanded. The bill was sent to the Council of State for advice in February.