AU: Federal government to outlaw doxxing, impose up to seven years’ jail for malicious sharing of personal data

Nicole Hegarty reports:

The malicious release of personal data online, known as doxxing, would be outlawed and attract up to seven years in jail under new legislation being introduced to federal parliament on Thursday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to outlaw the practice after the details of a private WhatsApp group involving hundreds of Jewish Australians were published online in February.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will unveil the details of the new offence as part of broader reforms that he says will bring the Privacy Act into the digital age.

“Australians have got the right to have their privacy respected and when they’re asked to hand over their personal data they have a right to expect it will be respected,” he said.