Doxxing and Swatting Remain Ongoing Issues in Illinois: Growing Concerns for Public Safety

The safety of children is always a massive concern when dealing with the internet .Last year the FBI has made multiple statements about doxing. Just recently the FBI took to X (formerly Twitter) To warn about this growing issue. While anyone can be a target, the FBI provided more detailed insights into individuals who are targeted more frequently.

This has been a problem in America as a whole, but in massive cities like Chicago, and other locations, kids contuine to deal with at a higher rate.

What Is Doxxing In Illinois

In short, doxxing is the result of someone leaking all your private info onto the internet for others to see. The full answer is as follows,

Doxxing (also spelled “doxing”) is the act of revealing someone’s personal information online. Doxxing is a form of online harassment that means publicly exposing someone’s real name, address, job, or other identifying info without a victim’s consent. 

What Is Swatting In Illinois

In short, Swatting is using info gathered about you to make a fake police call claiming something bad is happening at the location you are currently at. The full answer is as follows,

Swatting is a criminal harassment act of deceiving an emergency service (via such means as hoaxing an emergency services dispatcher) into sending a police or emergency service response team to another person's address. This is triggered by false reporting of a serious law enforcement emergency, such as a bomb threat, murder, hostage situation, or a false report of a mental health emergency, such as reporting that a person is allegedly suicidal or homicidal and may or may not be armed, among other things

some social media influencers have doxxed people live or as a prank. Some even do it as revenge. When celebrities do it, others feel like they can too. It is a crime, however, and kids should be reminded that this is NOT an innocent prank.

Doxing Is Illegal In Illinois

Thankful This is punishable by law in Illinois. New reports state that If you or a family member are affected by this actions can be taken.

The Civil Liability for Doxxing Act (Public Act 103-0439) is a new anti-doxxing law recently passed in Illinois. While Governor Pritzker signed and approved the bill on August 4th, 2023, the law will not go into effect until January 1, 2024. The law allows doxing victims to take civil action against their attacker to recover damages.