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Doxing -- Something To Expect More of In 2015
HughPickens.com writes: When asked about trends to expect in 2015, Bruce Schneier points to doxing as a likely candidate. Doxing is not new, dating back to at least 1987 when Robert Bork's video tape rentals were leaked to the press. Usually it's things like an address and phone number, but it can also be credit card details, medical information, private e-mails—pretty much anything an assailant can get his hands on. "Everyone from political activists to hackers to government leaders has now learned how effective this attack is. Everyone from common individuals to corporate executives to government leaders now fears this will happen to them. And I believe this will change how we think about computing and the Internet."
For those too lazy to google:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
It's hardly a new word, it's been in active use for the best part of 10 years.
Is that everyone has some skeletons in the closet they're hiding. Yours might not be as severe as someone else's, or it may be from back when you were a stupid teen. But there's something that would embarrass you or tarnish your reputation if it were made public. Maybe you tried smoking weed in college, or you had sex with your high school GF when she (and you) were technically underage, or all manner of other things.
So if facts uncovered by doxing becomes accepted as legitimate grounds for disqualification, then the only people who will get the good job positions or get elected will be the liars who are exceptionally good at covering up their history or shifting blame onto others.
Instead, what needs to happen is for people to stop demanding perfection from others. Everyone is human, and humans are fallible. Someone who claims to have never failed, to have always done the right thing, is almost certainly a liar, a con artist.. That's what should raise suspicion about someone's fitness for a job or elected office - the absence of any skeletons in the closet. If society can change to where we accept that we're all flawed and that a few flaws shouldn't automatically disqualify us, then doxing largely becomes irrelevant and IMHO our world will become a much nicer place.
Is there a shorter or more descriptive word / phrase that you can use to describe the practice of leaking personal information in order to attack or retaliate against someone you don't like?
Docsing or doxing sounds like a good way to express that concept.
used by people precisely because it's not mainstream.
"Subdural haematoma" isn't mainstream either, but doctors don't just use it because they're hipsters.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
TFA mentions Gamergate in the context of the doxxing but all the victims mentioned just happen to be on the anti-GG side (innocent mistake, I'm sure).
Pro-GG people have been doxxed:
http://imgur.com/BNlLKcn
So was the creator of #notyourshield, and his workplace was harassed until he was fired:
https://twitter.com/Moldybars/...
http://i.imgur.com/9ieHMu9.png
A prominent anti-GGer called for the doxxing of all Gamergate supporters: http://i.gyazo.com/5db582013ac...
At least the pro-GG makes an effort to detect, condemn, and report this shitty behavior, no matter which side it comes from.
This is an increasingly common tactic used by people who disagree with other people.
You're a racist? Let's get you fired:
http://gettingracistsfired.com...
You're a scumbag who doesn't deliver on a kickstarter? Let's bother your parents:
https://www.kickstarter.com/pr...
Sure, this isn't new - the latter is just an extension of small-town "you come around here doing that again and I'll be talking to your mama". But the motive and intent are different. It's not about the parents being the authority figure instilling some sense into the kid, but about harassing the parents so that they, too, will blame the 'kid' for woes.
In the former case, it hinges on when things you say are personal, and when they are things you say as a representative of a company.
Post on company blog - company.
Post on facebook with place of employ listed - apparently, company.
Post on twitter with no place of employ listed but people find out through your name and location anyway - according to that blog, company.
Post on a random forum under a pseudonym but given enough searching around have your place of employ found - if you're thinking this should be personal, you're disagreeing with that site.
Increasingly, "what you do in your personal time is your own business" no longer flies, because whatever you do in your personal time can - thanks to the pressure power of social media - very much become your employer's business... even if they have no issue with you personally, but get negative attention for employing you.
- From one employee manual, in context about outside employment but easily interpreted to also apply to these cases.
It is useful right now, and has been for several years within the communities where doxing has become a known problem. It is a jargon word that is gaining mainstream use simply because the mainstream is now beginning to see a significant increase in the behavior it describes.
A similar term, "outing" (as in "John was deliberated outed last week by Jim, his ex lover") has been in use among the LBGT communities since at least the 1950s. But that refers explicitly to making public someone's very private sexual orientation.
However "doxing" is different from "outing": it is a more general term describing the unauthorized release of anyone's private information in a public forum. It is rarely an honorable act and in general those who dox others are persons without honor. And the honor of those who condone doxing is questionable. People who dox, or show support for doxing, are people you cannot trust. You should not associate with them, either, since that will raise questions about your personal honor.
"Doxing" is a concept that needs to come into the mainstream, right now.
Will
Jezebel writer doxxes autistic kid.
Rebecca Watson promotes Doxxing.
Reddits ShitRedditSays subreddit digging up names of gamergaters.
A tumblr related website all about doxxing
Something about throwing stones in glass houses springs to mind here.
Is there a word for wanting to punch someone in the dick because they invented a stupid new word? Because payback is still required for "blog", "twerk" and "phablet". Someone might need to get punched in the dick twice for "phablet." I'm sure the Germans probably have a word for it...
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Um... No. Identity theft is using someone else's identity, not just obtaining information about them.
Incorrect
Go read: http://www.actionfraud.police....
"Identity theft is when your personal details are stolen and identity fraud is when those details are used to commit fraud"