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Bill

SD 2226

An Act prohibiting the malicious doxing of personal information

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Barry Finegold

Massachusetts bill criminalizes intentional disclosure of personal information designed to harass, intimidate, or facilitate harm against individuals.

House concurred
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SD 2226

Legislative bill overview

SD 2226 proposes to create a criminal prohibition against "malicious doxing"—the intentional public disclosure of someone's personal information with intent to harass, intimidate, or facilitate harm. The bill establishes this as a new criminal offense in Massachusetts law and provides penalties for violations.

Why is this important

Doxing has become an increasingly common form of online harassment that can enable real-world threats, stalking, and violence against individuals and their families. This bill addresses a growing gap in existing harassment and privacy laws by specifically targeting the coordinated disclosure of personal data designed to facilitate abuse, which current statutes may not adequately cover.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition precision: The term "malicious" and what constitutes prohibited "personal information" may be difficult to define clearly in statute, potentially creating vagueness concerns or unintended restrictions on legitimate speech (journalism, activism, public records sharing)
  • First Amendment implications: Distinguishing between illegal doxing and protected speech or public interest disclosures (whistleblowing, reporting on public figures) will be legally contentious
  • Enforcement challenges: Proving intent to harass or harm, identifying originators of information shared across platforms, and jurisdiction issues with interstate/international doxing campaigns present practical obstacles

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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