HB2502 became effective on September 29 and amends A.R.S. § 13-2916 to to include “doxxing” as a criminal domestic violence offense.
Doxxing is the act of publicly revealing previously private personal information about an individual or organization, usually through the internet.
The amendment adds the following language to the electronic harassment statute:
Without the person’s consent and for the purpose of imminently causing the person unwanted physical contact, injury or harassment by a third party, use an electronic communication device to electronically distribute, publish, email, hyperlink or make available for downloading the person’s personal identifying information, including a digital image of the person, and the use does in fact incite or produce that unwanted physical contact, injury or harassment. This paragraph also applies to a person who intends to terrify, intimidate, threaten or harass an immediate family member of the person whose personal identifying information is used.
A.R.S. § 13-2916(A)(4)
Personal identifying information is defined as: “information that would allow the identified person to be located, contacted or harassed [and] includes the person’s home address, work address, phone number, email address or other contact information that would allow the identified person to be located, contacted or harassed.”
Doxxing is now considered a form of domestic violence and can be used as the basis for an order of protection. See § 13-3601 for the legal definition of domestic violence.
- How to Prevent Online Harassment from “Doxxing” (Homeland Security)
- Where Doxxing Came From and Why It Keeps Popping Up (Washington Post)