I heard that some guy tried to dox me. I don't get it. What is doxing?

What is doxing?<br><br>A word that has entered the popular culture in recent years, but is often not explained. <br><br>"Doxing," short for "dropping dox," is a form of cyberbullying or harassment that involves spreading personal information about someone online. Doxxing is typically used by online vigilantes to shame or humiliate an individual. Dox could include anything from one's real name and address, to more harmful information like social security number.<br><br>The expanded use of doxxing has come with the move to social media. Social media platforms like Twitter, Chambers, and other types of online communities have created an environment where it can be easy to remain anonymous while still attacking others through doxxing.<br><br>The most common doxxing attacks are driven by a need to exact revenge. This has become much easier with deep web search engines and databases that contain personal information. <br> <br>This is just one side effect of how social media can bring people together but still isolate them from each other. What the doxxer often doesn't realize is that they have not achieved anything even if they win. They do not change the other person, and only build walls to isolate themselves and others. Doxxing can also open the attacker up to legal troubles.<br><br>The expanded use of doxxing is another example of how social media can do more to isolate than to bring people together as many people naively assume.