Responding to Doxing in Australia: Towards a Right to Informational Self-Determination

Abstract

Doxing is the term used to describe the act of publicly revealing an individual’s personal information without their permission. It is a problem that concerns informational privacy and data protection. This article argues that the Australian Parliament should provide individuals with a right to informational self-determination and adopt a holistic approach to personal data protection. Part I defines the different aspects of doxing and identifies the adverse effects that doxing can have on victims. Part II considers the right to informational self-determination, before Part III examines solutions to the doxing problem. This article concludes that the Australian Parliament should consider enacting a statutory cause of action for a serious invasion of privacy that provides redress for doxing victims and introduces personal data protection regulations modelled on Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation.