Doxxing, cyberbullying and online harassment: what is the difference?

Doxxing, cyberbullying and online harassment: what is the difference?

These expressions are sometimes used interchangeably, but they describe different things: disclosing someone's personal information, repeatedly targeting someone through digital tools, or engaging in harassment on the internet.

1. Doxxing: exposing someone's personal information

Doxxing (also spelled doxing) generally means finding, compiling or publishing information that can identify or locate a person, sometimes linking their offline identity to their online activity. Examples include a person's name, photographs, home address, phone number, workplace or information about relatives.

The French official terminology uses divulgation malveillante d'informations personnelles (malicious disclosure of personal information). The official definition refers to the disclosure, without the person's consent, of personal information about them that exposes them to a risk.

Doxxing can happen in a single post. It does not require a series of posts to be described as doxxing in everyday usage. Whether a criminal offence has been committed depends on the specific facts and the legal requirements that apply.

2. Cyberbullying: malicious conduct repeated online

Cyberbullying is a form of harassment carried out through digital tools. It can include insults, threats, mockery, rumours, humiliating messages, repeated posts or coordinated attacks.

Repeated conduct may come from one person. It may also result from several people taking successive turns targeting the same victim. In that group situation, each participant does not necessarily have to act repeatedly for the overall conduct to be examined under the French offence of harassment.

Under French criminal law, Article 222-33-2-2 of the Criminal Code covers, among other things, repeated words or behaviour that have the purpose or effect of degrading a person's living conditions and causing an alteration of their physical or mental health. The use of an online public communication service or digital medium is expressly addressed by the provision.

3. “Online harassment”: a broader expression

In everyday language, online harassment refers to harassment carried out through the internet or digital tools. It is often used in much the same way as “cyberbullying”.

However, everyday wording and legal classification are not the same. Depending on the facts, conduct may fall under moral harassment, sexual harassment, school bullying, threats, insult, defamation or other offences. A single post may be unlawful or criminal without, by itself, meeting the legal requirements for harassment.

4. How can these situations overlap?

A doxxing incident can trigger a cyberbullying campaign. The initial disclosure of personal information may be followed by hostile messages, threats, contact with a person's employer or relatives, or successive reposts by other accounts.

Conversely, someone can be cyberbullied without their personal information being published. Repeated insults, threats or rumours can amount to online harassment without doxxing.

5. Which rules apply in France?

There is no single legal classification covering every situation. Authorities consider the content, context, any legally relevant intent, the risk created, whether conduct was repeated and its impact on the victim.

• Doxxing: Article 223-1-1 of the French Criminal Code may apply where information relating to a person's private, family or professional life is disclosed under the conditions set out in that provision, with the aim of exposing the person or their family to a direct risk of harm to their person or property.
• Harassment: Article 222-33-2-2 of the French Criminal Code punishes certain repeated conduct that degrades the victim's living conditions and alters their physical or mental health. The facts and any aggravating circumstances must be assessed individually.
• Other offences: threats, insult, defamation, identity theft or the non-consensual distribution of certain content may fall under separate legal provisions.

The final legal classification is for the judicial authorities to determine. Several offences may apply to the same events, or the facts may fail to meet the requirements of a particular offence while remaining harmful and reportable.

6. What should you do if you are targeted?

1. Preserve evidence: save full screenshots, URLs, dates, times, account names, messages and context. Keep the original material where possible.
2. Avoid escalation: do not respond impulsively or repost the personal information. You may block or restrict accounts after preserving useful evidence.
3. Report the content: use the platform's reporting tools and, depending on the facts, the relevant public reporting services. A report is not the same as filing a criminal complaint.
4. Seek help: contact the police or gendarmerie, a lawyer or a victim-support service. If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services.

For practical guidance, see Victim of doxxing: what should you do?, Reporting harmful online content and the legal framework in France.

Official sources and further reading

• French Official Journal: official terminology for malicious disclosure of personal information.
• Service-Public.fr: cyberbullying (online harassment).
• Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr: what to do in cases of cyberbullying or online harassment.
• Légifrance: French Criminal Code, Articles 222-33-2-2 and 223-1-1.

This page provides general information about French concepts and law. It is not individual legal advice. Legal classifications and remedies depend on the facts and circumstances.