“Doxxing,” based on the word “documents,” is the deliberate exposure of personal information on the internet. In the past several months,activists have used doxxing to expose neo-fascist activists who participated in race riots in Charlottesville, and to fuel protests against New York attorney Aaron Schlossberg for his online rant against Spanish-speakers.
Are there ethical, or even pragmatic, boundaries for releasing such information? Should the rules be different for media companies or journalists than for the public at large?
Jasmine McNealy teaches journalism and telecommunication at the University of Florida, and her recent study suggests that media outlets should think about blowback before they doxx someone. Jasmine McNealy joins Eight O’Clock Buzz host Brian Standing by phone.
