The House of Representatives is happy with the cabinet’s proposed ban on doxing, although on some points this does not go far enough for parliament. The Chamber believes that the maximum penalty for distributing or publishing personal data with the aim of harassing someone should be increased. The parties also believe that illegal information should be removed from the Internet as quickly as possible.
Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz wants to place a maximum of one year in prison or a fine of 9,000 euros for doxing. But VVD MP Ingrid Michon-Derkzen, who has called for a ban on doxing in 2021, proposes granting a maximum of two years in prison and a fine of up to 22,500 euros. The minister said in the parliamentary debate that she will follow the wishes of the parliament. The ban itself receives the support of the entire House, with the exception of the Forum for Democracy.
Specific professional groups
SGP’er Kees van der Staaij, together with Anne Kuik of the CDA, proposed that the punishment for doxing will be higher if the data is disseminated by a number of specific professional groups. These include mayors, police officers, lawyers, politicians and journalists. Yeşilgöz does not believe this is necessary, especially if the maximum sentence is increased. The bill and amendments will be voted on next week.
The MPs also wanted to know what the minister can do to prevent the publication of personal data. The majority are in favor of a proposal by D66 member Joost Sneller that Kadaster’s information can be more easily protected. Yesilgöz is positive about this and said the cabinet will respond soon.
Low-threshold reporting point
Furthermore, in collaboration with the Internet sector, a low-threshold hotline will be set up where victims can quickly report offending information. It should be operational by mid-2024, according to the minister. According to her, illegal content can also be quickly removed from the Internet. This requires an order from the public prosecutor, following which the investigating judge issues a clearance. On an annual basis, the prosecutor estimates that there will be approximately 1,500 cases of doxing. For this, 5.7 million euros have been allocated.
The Chamber also wondered whether it is possible in practice to prove in court that someone had malicious intent in publishing the data. Yesilgöz expects this, because the context in which the data is published is also taken into consideration. For example, when it comes to an app group of the victim’s vocal opponents.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
