UK to make ‘doxxing’ a criminal offense
The U.K. is clamping down on 'doxxing' following a wave of online abuse against lifeboat volunteers.
The United Kingdom intends to amend the Online Safety Act to criminalize the practice known as "doxxing," which involves the public dissemination of a person's private or personal information without their consent. This move comes in response to the harassment faced by volunteers working for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), who assist individuals in distress while at sea.
During a meeting with representatives from major social media platforms on Tuesday, Digital Secretary Lisa Nandy expressed concerns over inconsistent practices among these companies in addressing online abuse. Nandy specifically criticized Elon Musk's social media platform, X, for its lack of representation during the discussion.
The UK government aims to expedite efforts to safeguard its citizens and tackle the issue of online abuse, which has been largely left to private companies to regulate thus far. "Our government intends to be more interventionist in this area," Nandy stated.
In a follow-up interview, Nandy emphasized the importance of Ofcom enforcing the Online Safety Act with greater vigor and speed. A review of the regulator's resources and enforcement powers is underway, with Ofcom set to assume additional responsibilities to enforce a ban on social media platforms targeting users under the age of 16.
Ofcom, the regulatory body responsible for enforcing online safety, has been more proactive than any other in the world in its enforcement efforts to date. Over the past 18 months since the Online Safety Act's implementation, Ofcom has investigated more than 100 platforms and imposed fines totaling more than £7 million against 11 providers.
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