Strategies to Protect Against Online Doxing in Higher Education

What's Happening?

Online doxing, the act of broadcasting personal information to intimidate individuals, is increasingly targeting faculty and staff in higher education. Recent incidents have involved anonymous social media accounts sharing personal details of educators, leading to harassment. Viktorya Vilk from PEN America emphasizes the importance of complex passwords and two-factor authentication to safeguard against such attacks. Heather Steffen from Faculty First Responders notes the rise in ideologically motivated doxing, particularly following campus protests. Experts recommend separating personal and work accounts, scrubbing data from broker websites, and using email masks to protect privacy.

Why It's Important?

The rise in doxing incidents poses a significant threat to the safety and privacy of educators, potentially impacting their professional and personal lives. As doxing becomes more coordinated, it highlights vulnerabilities in digital security practices within higher education. Implementing protective measures can help mitigate risks and safeguard against harassment, ensuring a safer environment for faculty and staff. This issue underscores the need for institutions to prioritize digital safety training and develop comprehensive strategies to protect their employees.

What's Next?

Higher education institutions may increase efforts to educate faculty and staff on digital safety practices. There could be a push for more robust security protocols and resources to assist those targeted by doxing. Collaboration with cybersecurity experts and organizations like PEN America might lead to the development of new tools and strategies to combat online harassment. Additionally, there may be advocacy for stronger legal protections against doxing.

Beyond the Headlines

The prevalence of doxing raises ethical concerns about privacy and freedom of expression. It highlights the challenges faced by educators in expressing their views without fear of retaliation. This issue may prompt discussions on the balance between digital privacy and public accountability, as well as the role of social media platforms in preventing harassment.