ATLANTA — Georgia senators are working on a new bill to ban doxxing in the state and make new penalties for violations.
Senate Bill 27 would make it a crime to send or publish private identifying information of people “with malicious intent” on social media platforms or other electronic forums.
The legislation defines electronic or social platforms as a public website, computer application or mobile application that is designed to help one or more people communicate.
Putting someone’s address, phone number or other personal information out in the world to cause problems for them could end up with Georgians facing felony charges.
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When someone does violate the bill, by publishing private information, and leads to a “substantial life disruption,” such as an individual having to change their routines or experiencing a financial upset due to said doxxing, the person who publishes their information would face felony charges.
Victims of doxxing would be allowed to petition for a protective order in court and someone who does commit a doxxing offense would face a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
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If doxxing leads to someone being physically injured, or if their family members are harmed, as well as for the second and following offenses if they continue, those who are doxxing others would face felonies and between one and 10 years in prison, the legislation says.
Anyone over the age of 20 who commits a doxxing offense against someone under the age of 19 will face felony charges immediately, also facing between one and 10 years in prison.
As far as what the bill says it considers a life disruption or financial upset, outside of physical harm, lawmakers listed the following impacts on potential victims:
- Having to change a telephone number
- Having to change an email address
- Having to delete personal electronic or social platform accounts
- Seriously decreasing internet usage
- Change daily routines and commuting routes
- Changing jobs or work schedules
- Having to take off work or losing more than $500
People or their representatives would also be allowed to sue for punitive and actual damages in court if they face monetary loss, physical harm, or if someone dies resulting from doxxing activities. Cases would be filed in superior court in the county of residents, the county where the victim lives or lived or the county where the victim received communications that fall under the proposed doxxing violations.
Georgia lawmakers put a section in the bill as well to ensure that the proposed legislation is not taken as a restriction on freedom of speech or expression, as protected by the Georgia Constitution or the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, so long as the speech doesn’t include true threats or expressive activity made to provoke imminent illegal actions.
The Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee had SB 27 on the agenda for the day for a committee vote. If the vote passes, it would move to the next step of the legislative process, a potential floor vote in the state senate.
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