By: Ashmar Mandou

Anti-Doxing legislation introduced to the Illinois General Assembly in February by State Repreentative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17) is now one step closer to moving to Governor JB Pritzker’s desk to be signed into law. The Civil Liability for Doxing Act (House Bill 2954), fills a significant gap in current Illinois law and provides victims with legal recourse when bad actors publish their personally identifiable information with the intent to cause harm. HB2954 has passed out of both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly and now heads to Governor Pritzker where supports urge him to sign the bill into law. “This is a very promising next step in our efforts to give doxing victims a voice and hold people accountable for online hate and harassment,” said ADL Midwest Regional Director David Goldenberg.

Doxing is a form of harassment used to threaten and intimidate people by sharing their personal information, which can often include their home and work address. “Doxing is a growing threat in the modern online space, and it’s vital to Illinois’ public safety that our laws evolve to meet it,” said State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview). “Too many people have already faced the consequences of this horrible abuse, and they deserve to have a path to justice.” HB 2954 is supported by a number of civil rights and anti-hate groups, which include the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV), Access Living, Ascend Justice, Chinese American Service League (CASL), and Chicago Urban League to name a few. HB 2954 allows doxing victims to seek monetary damages and any other form of relief under Illinois law from their attacker. It also allows judges authority to provide victims injunctive relief, which means the court can force the doxer to stop their unlawful acts. The bill is drafted to not limit speech or other forms of expression under the U.S. or Illinois Constitution.