Learn English – the origin of “dox” and “doxing”

etymologyneologisms

Wikipedia has a solid description of what "doxing" is:

Doxing is the Internet-based practice of researching and publishing personally identifiable information about an individual.

They also make a claim that the word is an abbreviation for "document tracing" but none of their sources confirm this. It seems like a completely unsubstantiated claim. Terms that appear in internet culture are notoriously hard to track but I'm finding it hard to believe that "dox" is short for "document tracing" considering the only relevant part of the longer phrase is "doc".

One of their linked sources even disagrees:

The term "dox" (also spelt "doxx", and short for "[dropping] documents").

Does anyone know how long this term has been used and where it originated? Is it really an abbreviation for "document tracing"?

Best Answer

According to the following source the term derives from 'docs' (documents) and the practice of disclosing another Internet user’s personal information dates back to the 1990s on Usenet.

Doxing:

sometimes spelled as Doxxing, refers to the practice of investigating and revealing a target subject’s personally identifiable information, such as home address, workplace information and credit card numbers, without consent. The word is derived from “docs,” which is a shortened term for “documents.”

Dox:

The term “dox” was initially used by computer hackers involved in pirated software[ distribution to describe various documents relating to new updates, cracks or patches. Beginning in the early to mid-2000s, the term “doxing” became associated with the act of leaking an individual’s personal information for retaliation or vigilantism. In the late 2000s, it rapidly grew into a harassment tactic used by members of Anonymous during their operations. In China and elsewhere, similar forms of privacy-invasive behaviors emerged through groups like Human Flesh Search Engine.

Notable Instances of doxing campaigns:

  • January 2007: Hal Turner
  • October 2007: Chris Forcand
  • January 2008: Scientology
  • January 2014: Jenna Jameson’s Request

Source: http://knowyourmeme.com

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