ABSTRACT: In an increasingly networked world, the boundary between online interaction and offline safety is rapidly eroding. What begins as a post, tweet or coordinated digital attack can quickly escalate into harassment, fear and tangible harm. Among the most concerning manifestations of this shift is doxing—the non-consensual disclosure of personal information to intimidate, shame or silence individuals. Far from being a fringe phenomenon, doxing has emerged as a pervasive form of digital violence that disproportionately targets women, minorities and those who challenge dominant political or social narratives. Drawing on feminist theory, Foucauldian notions of power and surveillance, and scholarship on digital cultures; the paper argues that doxing must be understood as a structural and gendered form of violence. It examines how personal data is mobilised to regulate visibility and suppress dissent, while also highlighting gaps in legal frameworks and platform accountability. By situating doxing at the intersection of gender, power and digital culture, the paper calls for a survivor-centric response that integrates legal reform, institutional responsibility and recognition of lived experiences in digital spaces.

KEYWORDS: Doxing, digital violence, gender-based cybercrime, surveillance, power, online harassment, platform accountability

DOXING AS DIGITAL VIOLENCE: GENDER, POWER AND THE SILENCING OF DISSENT

DR. JENNIFER COUTINHO,
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY, RATNAM COLLEGE, MUMBAI.