Doxing, revenge porn and online harassment: the justice system facing new digital crimes

Doxing, revenge porn and online harassment now constitute serious violations of individuals' privacy and dignity.

The digital revolution has transformed our societies at an unprecedented pace, creating new opportunities but also new forms of crime that the justice system must now combat.

Doxing (the malicious disclosure of personal information), revenge porn (the non-consensual sharing of intimate images) and cyberharassment now constitute serious violations of individuals' privacy and dignity.

Faced with these constantly evolving phenomena, the judicial system is gradually adapting, developing new tools and procedures to protect victims and prosecute the perpetrators of these acts.

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High-profile cases that reveal the scale of the phenomenon

The DiscordLeaks network case made a strong impression on French public opinion in 2024. This organised group had set up a sophisticated system to collect and disseminate personal information about thousands of women, mainly drawn from social media. The members shared their victims' addresses, telephone numbers and professional information, often accompanied by explicit calls to harassment. The investigation carried out by the cybercrime division of the National Police led to the identification of 17 administrators and moderators of the network, several of whom were sentenced to prison terms of up to three years without parole.

The MeTooInfluenceurs case likewise revealed the scale of the revenge porn phenomenon within the content creator community. Several influential figures were implicated for having used their reputation to obtain intimate images and then engaged in blackmail by threatening to release them. The media coverage of these cases prompted a collective awakening and a significant increase in reports submitted to the Pharos platform.

These emblematic cases represent only the tip of the iceberg. According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, more than 12,000 complaints were filed in 2024 for cyberharassment, doxing or revenge porn, an increase of 47% compared with the previous year. This dramatic rise can be explained both by a genuine increase in malicious acts and by greater awareness of the legal remedies available.

The rapid evolution of the legal framework

To meet these new challenges, the French legislature has considerably strengthened the legal framework in recent years. The 2018 Schiappa Act had already created the offence of sexist insult, encompassing certain forms of online harassment. But it was above all the 2020 law against hateful content on the internet (known as the "Avia Act") which, despite being partially struck down by the Constitutional Council, laid the first foundations of an institutional response.

The Criminal Code was supplemented in 2023 by the creation of a new specific offence of doxing, punishing the disclosure of personal information with the intent to cause harm. The penalties provided for are particularly severe, reaching up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros where the acts have caused serious consequences for the victim.

In matters of revenge porn, the burden of proof has been amended to better protect victims. It is no longer necessary to prove the absence of consent to the sharing of intimate images: it is now up to the person sharing them to prove that they had explicit consent. This reversal constitutes a major advance, welcomed by victim advocacy associations.

At the European level, the Digital Services Act now imposes on digital platforms a duty of vigilance and responsiveness in dealing with reports of illegal content. Major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or TikTok must remove flagged content within 24 hours or face financial penalties of up to 6% of their global turnover.

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Effective remedies and support for victims

Faced with these traumatic situations, victims of digital crimes can now rely on tailored procedures. In the event of the sharing of intimate images or personal information, the first step is to make a prompt report to the platforms concerned, which now have a legal obligation to remove problematic content within very short timeframes.

At the same time, it is essential to gather solid evidence by taking timestamped screenshots and preserving all the material that helps identify the perpetrators. This documentation will be crucial for the subsequent legal proceedings. A complaint may be filed directly with the public prosecutor or at any police station or gendarmerie.

To navigate this complex process effectively, the assistance of a digital law lawyer in cybercrime cases is often decisive. These professionals are well versed in the emergency procedures that make it possible to obtain the swift removal of harmful content and can coordinate action with the digital platforms. Their technical expertise also enables them to communicate effectively with specialised investigators and to identify the courts with jurisdiction, particularly where the offences involve parties established abroad. Beyond the purely legal dimension, these lawyers can direct victims towards psychological support associations suited to these traumatic situations.

In the most serious cases, specific protective measures may be put in place, such as prohibiting the perpetrator from contacting the victim by any means whatsoever, or the possibility of using an assumed identity in legal proceedings to protect the anonymity of those targeted by doxing.

Difficulties in enforcement in the face of online anonymity

Despite these legislative advances, the effective enforcement of the law still runs up against significant technical obstacles. The relative anonymity offered by the internet remains a major challenge for investigators. The perpetrators of cyberharassment or doxing frequently use virtual private networks (VPNs), encrypted messaging services or the dark web to conceal their identity and evade prosecution.

The international dimension of these offences also complicates proceedings. When perpetrators operate from abroad or use servers located outside national territory, investigators must resort to international letters rogatory, lengthy and complex procedures whose effectiveness largely depends on the cooperation of the countries concerned.

These difficulties are particularly acute when content passes through platforms established in countries where privacy protection legislation is less strict than in France. Judicial requisitions sent to certain extraterritorial platforms may go unanswered for months, leaving harmful content accessible and thereby prolonging the harm suffered by victims. In such situations, the support of a lawyer specialising in personal data protection can prove invaluable.

Faced with these constraints, specialised units such as the Central Office for Combating Crime Related to Information and Communication Technologies (OCLCTIC) are developing new investigative methodologies. Digital investigation techniques are gradually being refined, making it possible to trace leads even in complex technical environments.

Procedural innovations for a more effective justice system

To overcome these obstacles, the French judicial authorities have developed several procedural innovations. The national unit for combating online hate, created in 2021 within the Paris Judicial Court, now centralises the most complex cases. This specialisation enables judges to develop in-depth technical expertise and to establish privileged working relationships with the digital platforms.

The emergency procedures have also been adapted to the specific features of the digital environment. The LCEN interim relief procedure (Act for Confidence in the Digital Economy) now makes it possible to obtain the removal of manifestly illegal content within a few hours, without waiting for the outcome of proceedings on the merits, which may take several months.

The creation of a national digital prosecutor's office is currently under consideration for 2026. This new entity would have reinforced resources and nationwide jurisdiction to handle all offences committed online, thereby ensuring a consistent judicial response across the entire territory.

Artificial intelligence technologies are also beginning to be used to facilitate the identification of perpetrators of coordinated harassment. Specialised algorithms can now analyse the stylistic and technical similarities between different anonymous accounts, sometimes making it possible to unmask individuals operating under multiple identities.

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Towards a digital justice system adapted to contemporary challenges

The emergence of these new forms of digital crime has profoundly transformed our judicial system. While considerable progress has been made in recent years, significant challenges remain to be addressed in order to guarantee effective protection of victims and appropriate punishment of perpetrators.

One of the most promising avenues lies in the specialised training of those involved in the criminal justice chain. Dedicated programmes have been put in place to familiarise police officers, gendarmes, prosecutors and judges with the specific features of digital offences. This gradual upskilling makes it possible to improve the recording of complaints and the effectiveness of investigations.

Prevention also plays a crucial role. Programmes educating people about digital risks are now being rolled out in schools, while national campaigns raise public awareness of responsible online behaviour and of the remedies available in the event of an attack.

The major challenge for the years ahead will be to maintain a balance between the necessary protection of victims and the preservation of fundamental freedoms online. The increased surveillance of digital communications raises significant ethical and legal questions that will have to be resolved through inclusive democratic debate.

A collective responsibility in the face of new forms of violence

Faced with the growing scale of digital crime, the protection of individuals can no longer rest solely on the shoulders of the justice system. A genuine culture of digital responsibility must emerge, involving all the actors of the internet ecosystem: platforms, access providers, application developers and, of course, users.

Social media platforms are beginning to grasp the extent of their responsibility, deploying more effective moderation technologies and simplified reporting procedures. Certain recent initiatives, such as the creation of rapid response teams dedicated to revenge porn cases, point to a positive shift in industry practices.

Raising public awareness nevertheless remains the most powerful lever. Every internet user can help create a safer digital environment by systematically reporting problematic content and supporting victims rather than amplifying the spread of harmful material.

Despite the complexity of the technical and legal challenges, the recent evolution of legislation and judicial practice offers real grounds for hope. The digital society is gradually learning to protect itself against its own excesses, sketching out the contours of an internet that is more respectful and safer for all its users. The support of a lawyer specialising in digital law remains an essential asset for effectively defending victims' rights in this evolving context.