English Language & Literature — CBSE Class 10 board question

(1) In the contemporary digital era, personal information has become both a resource and a vulnerability. One of the most alarming practices exploiting this sensitivity is doxing, the deliberate act of publicly revealing private or sensitive information about an individual without their consent. It typically blurs the boundaries between online and offline privacy by disclosing personal details such as phone numbers, home addresses, workplace details or financial records on public platforms, making the digital and physical worlds collide. (2) In the complex landscape of digital communication, doxing emerges as a controversial phenomenon which is often weaponized to frighten, harass, or harm the targeted individual. This leads to anxiety, stress, fear or paranoia as their sense of personal safety and control over their life is severely compromised. A determined doxer might scrape information from various social networking profiles, domain name records or exploit security lapses like weak passwords. Once gathered, this information is shared on public forums, social media, or 'dox sites', expanding the victim's exposure to harassment, stalking, or even physical threats. (3) This darker side of doxing reveals its true dangers. What makes it particularly treacherous is that once the information is released online, it is almost impossible to erase, making the harm sometimes lifelong. Legally, it occupies a grey area. In some jurisdictions it may violate privacy, cyberstalking or harassment laws, but global differences and the Internet's borderless nature complicate enforcement. Ethically, doxing is a clear violation of personal autonomy. It disproportionately harms marginalized groups, who often face accelerated real-world risks from such exposures. (4) Proponents of doxing sometimes claim it promotes justice by exposing individuals who might otherwise escape accountability. For instance, in some cases of online scams or criminal behaviour, Internet users have identified and revealed the real identities of offenders. Moreover, when individuals misuse their anonymity to harm others, exposing them may serve justice and discourage similar behaviour in future. (5) Defending against doxing demands proactive, preventive and corrective measures like locking down social media privacy settings, using pseudonyms, enabling two-factor authentication, and minimizing shared personal data. However, individual efforts are often insufficient against determined attackers, though certain systematic solutions such as stricter data protection regulations, robust platform moderation and criminalizing doxing explicitly may play a vital role to curb its spread. In addition to this, public awareness campaigns on digital safety are equally important to educate users about risks. Victims should have access to legal aid, counselling and helplines for immediate support. A united effort may ensure better protection against this growing online threat.