Can You Get Arrested for Doxxing Someone?

Doxxing—the act of researching and broadcasting private or identifying information about an individual online—is not inherently illegal if the information is obtained from public records.

However, you can absolutely get arrested for doxxing if the act crosses into harassment, cyberstalking, or extortion. If you post someone's address and encourage others to harm them, or if you use doxxed information to make false police reports (swatting), you are committing a serious crime. See also: is using fake names online illegal and can you be sued for reddit comments.

Doxxing becomes illegal when:

• It is used to harass or stalk — a repeated pattern of posting private info to cause emotional distress violates cyberstalking laws.
• It includes a call to violence — posting an address and telling people to go there and harm the person is a crime.
• It leads to 'swatting' — using the address to call in a fake hostage situation or bomb threat is a federal felony.
• It involves illegally obtained data — hacking into a database or stealing mail to find the information violates computer fraud and theft laws.
• It is used for extortion — threatening to doxx someone unless they pay you is blackmail.

Doxxing is generally not a crime when:

• The information is freely available in public records — aggregating data from property tax records, voter registries, or public social media profiles.
• It is done for legitimate journalism or whistleblowing — identifying a public figure, a business owner engaging in unethical practices, or a participant in a public event, without inciting violence.
• There is no intent to harass, threaten, or intimidate — simply stating someone's real name online without malicious intent.

Consequences for illegal doxxing and related harassment:

• Cyberstalking/Harassment: Misdemeanor or felony depending on the state, punishable by up to 5 years in prison federally.
• Swatting (false police reports): Federal felony leading to 5 to 20+ years in prison, especially if someone is injured.
• Civil lawsuits: Victims can sue for invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and defamation.
• Federal threat charges: Transmitting interstate threats carries up to 5 years in federal prison per count.

When doxxing leads to direct threats or swatting, law enforcement treats it as a high-priority investigation. The FBI and local police routinely subpoena internet service providers to unmask anonymous doxxers.

Platforms (Twitter, Reddit, Discord) will permanently ban users who post identifying information. Victims often obtain civil restraining orders and file lawsuits against the individuals who organized the harassment campaign.

• Never post someone's private address or contact information online.
• Do not encourage others to contact, harass, or confront an individual.
• Protect your own privacy by minimizing the personal data you share publicly, using strong privacy settings, and utilizing secondary phone numbers or emails.
• Report doxxing behavior to the platform hosting the content immediately.
• See also: is using fake names online illegal for related privacy strategies.