Doxxing is a serious problem that can have devastating consequences. It’s not just celebrities who are at risk of being doxxed, it could happen to anyone!
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How Serious of a Crime is Doxxing?
Doxxing is a internet term that has been used to define the act of collecting somebody’s personal information and distributing it to other people. This could include someone’s phone number, email addresses, home address, social media accounts, and more.
Doxxing can be done by a single person or a group of people which makes the problem even worse because it could lead to a witch-hunt against somebody, or cyberbullying.
The internet makes it very easy to distribute someone’s personal information. The person being targeted does not have to be famous either, just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
When somebody is doxxed they usually become a victim of blackmail. They may also be the target of hate and racist comments and even cyberbullying which can lead to online suicides in some cases.
How to Prevent Doxxing
The best way to protect yourself from doxxing is by taking precautions and following these steps.
Limit How Much You Reveal About Yourself Online
Many people spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. This can be beneficial in some cases but also dangerous in others.
If you have an account on these types of sites then make sure that you limit how often you log into it and more importantly what personal information is displayed.
Be aware that even if you delete your account, the information stays alive on search engines for years to come.
Don’t share personal information such as where you live or work, your email address, phone number and so forth. There’s no need to be too public about yourself!
Be careful of sharing photos as well as they may contain hidden metadata such as location and more which could be used against you later on! If there is a photo out there with your name and other personal information then use Google Reverse Image Search to see where it originated from and if anything bad has happened because of it.
- It is always better to keep your information private on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.
- Don’t post personal information online such as home address, phone number, email address, etc.
- Be careful about what you share with others in person or over the phone. Remember that people may take pictures of you without permission and use them for malicious purposes later on!
- Consider using a pseudonym online.
- Be aware that the information you post may impact your search results for years to come, so be aware of what you share and how it could affect you later on!
It’s a fantastic idea to check up on your name and accounts online to see how difficult it would be for someone to dox you.
Be Careful of Online Quizzes and Surveys
When you take surveys and quizzes online, make sure they are legitimate. There have been many cases where people share personal information and even passwords with the quiz maker thinking it is safe to do so.
Never post your real birth date or place on a website as this can be used as a key piece of information about yourself.
Only use your real birthday or place of birth in password protected accounts.
If you take a background check quiz, delete it immediately upon completion. There have been reports where the person doing the quiz sells the information to third-party agencies who then doxx people’s information!
Never share passwords with anyone and change them often.
Use Stronger Passwords
One of the best ways to protect yourself on social media is by using strong passwords. Make sure never to reveal your password on any site, even if someone says they are a representative from that company or website.
Use Password Managers to help you generate random, unique passwords for each site that you log into. This will make it very difficult for someone who has gotten their hands on your computer to know what password goes where!
Use Separate Emails for Non-Essentials
If you have access to a lot of different email accounts, use them as personal email as well as one for work and another for online shopping. This will make it difficult for someone who has gotten their hands on your computer or phone to see what goes where!
Data leaks are a serious issue. That’s why you should always use throwaway emails when registering for websites or forums that have limited access, as they often give out freebies.
Never reveal any personal information in the emails that you send.
Stay Anonymous Online with a VPN
In order to stay anonymous on the Internet, consider using a VPN. These will encrypt your connection and hide all of the information that you share across the Internet. That way, if someone has access to your computer or phone then they will not be able to see what you’ve been up to online!
Using a VPN is really easy as well. Just subscribe, download it and turn it on once you’re connected to the Internet. It is as simple as that!
Use a VPN to stay anonymous online and protect yourself from others who would do you harm.
Protect your Mobile Devices
While we don’t always think about it, our mobile devices like cell phones and tablets contain a lot of personal information such as contacts and photos which can give someone clues into your life.
The best thing to do is back up your mobile devices on a regular basis in case you lose them or they get destroyed.
If possible, consider using Google Voice or Skype Number instead of your standard phone number when signing up for services online like Netflix and Hulu. This way, it will be very difficult for someone to have access to your number and use it against you!
Keep a close eye on what applications you download as sometimes the apps themselves can contain malware that will collect all of your personal information. If possible, only download from known sites or from the official app store for your device.
Protect yourself from those who would do anything to steal your personal information. Use strong passwords, manage your emails and protect your digital life with a VPN to stay anonymous online!
