Sharing personal data with the aim of intimidating someone will become a criminal offence. The Senate has adopted a bill on this so-called ‘doxing’. The law is expected to come into effect on January 1 next year.
CDA MP Eline Vedder from Ruinerwold recently fell victim to doxing, just like several other CDA members such as MPs Derk Boswijk and Mustafa Amhaouch. Their telephone numbers were shared in a message about a farmers’ protest in The Hague.
Vedder was then continuously bombarded with intimidating phone calls and text messages. For her own safety, she was not allowed to say anything about the content of those messages. “But I’m pretty sick of it,” she said at the time. Doxing was not yet punishable at the time, but it was known that legislation was being prepared.
Vedder’s telephone number was on the CDA Drenthe website, but has since been removed. The fact that her telephone number was easy to find will not matter for the criminal offense of doxing. It’s about whether the number is shared to intimidate.
Not only politicians, but also journalists, police officers and aid workers are regular targets of doxing. According to the Ministry of Justice and Security, this also applies to scientists, opinion makers and employees of municipalities.
“We cannot and must not accept that families no longer feel safe at home. I am therefore pleased that the Senate also agrees with this bill and that we draw a line together: everyone can become a victim of doxing and must be able to resist it.” are protected,” said Minister Yesilgöz-Zegerius of Justice and Security.
Doxing carries a maximum prison sentence of two years, or a fine of up to 22,500 euros. For certain professions, such as mayors, politicians, judges, lawyers, journalists and police officers, the maximum sentence is one third higher.
Victims of doxing can also initiate civil proceedings themselves if they know who posted the information online. The person can then ask for compensation and demand that the data be taken offline. According to the ministry, intermediaries such as internet providers and online platforms also have a responsibility to act if they know that criminal data is available on the internet.