Doxing Celebrities Addressing Legal Gaps and Proposing Reforms in India

The visibility of well-known figures like celebrities and social media influencers has drastically increased due to the increase usage of social media platforms, thus making them susceptible to online harassment and doxxing. Doxxing entails exposing personal information about individuals without their consent, mostly with an aim of intimidating or harassing them through unwanted attention, threats or physical harm. Despite its increasing rate, particularly among celebrities, there are no regulatory frameworks designed to combat doxxing in India. This absence emphasises serious legal issues regarding privacy rights and cyberbullying. This article examines the applicability of existing provisions on cybercrime law, privacy laws and defamation laws in major jurisdictions worldwide. After identifying the legal gaps, the researcher proposes specific changes that will help define doxxing more clearly and strengthen the legal framework aimed at protecting individuals from such assault on privacy.