Enforce Safeguarding LGBTQ+ People from DOXXING & Outing
Sign now

Hold the ICO & Police Accountable: Protect LGBTQ+ People from DOXXING & Outing - Protection Is Always Better Than A Perilous Breach Aftermath

️‍🌈️‍🌈️‍🌈  Hold the ICO & Police Accountable: Protect LGBTQ+ Individuals from DOXXING & Outing.  ️‍🌈️‍🌈️‍🌈

Protection is Better Than Perilous Breach Aftermath

The ICO and UK police fail to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from DOXXING & Outing - privacy violations that expose victims to harassment, discrimination, and violence.

Despite these dangers, the ICO lacks clear guidance on Outing & DOXXING, and Police officers are not adequately trained to uphold these cases of Harassment and Hate Incidents. Instead, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like Galop are left to support victims, when safeguarding should be the responsibility of the ICO and police.

ACTIONS NEEDED:

1. Clear ICO guidance recognizing Outing & DOXXING as data protection violations.

2. Mandatory training for ICO staff and police, in partnership with Galop.

3. Proactive safeguarding measures to prevent harm to LGBTQ+ individuals.

 

PROTECTION BEFORE PERIL : Why Prevention Matters

It is not enough to respond after an LGBTQ+ individual has been Outed or DOXXED. The damage is often irreparable. Prevention must be the priority - ensuring strong safeguards rather than forcing victims to endure the aftermath of privacy breaches. Without changes, LGBTQ+ individuals to face harm due to systemic inaction.


Understanding Doxxing & Outing

️‍️‍🌈️‍🌈️‍🌈 What is Doxxing?

DOXXING is the malicious act of publicly exposing someone’s private information without their consent, leading to harassment, threats, or violence, eg:

>  Publishing home addresses, workplaces, or phone numbers.
>  Sharing sensitive personal data, such as medical history or LGBTQ+ status.


️‍🌈️‍🌈️‍🌈 What is Outing?

'Outing' occurs when someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity is revealed without their consent. It is especially dangerous for those in unsupportive environments, exposing them to potential harm from their families, employers, or the public.


The ICO & Police: Failing to Prevent These Risks

1. The ICO Has No Clear Guidance on DOXXING & Outing
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed that the ICO has no specific public guidance on the risks of Outing & DOXXING LGBTQ+ individuals. 📄 Read ICO's FOI response

WHY is there no dedicated training for ICO staff to handle these cases appropriately?

Instead of educating police and organizations on protecting LGBTQ+ individuals, the ICO remains inactive, leaving victims vulnerable.

2. Police Are Not Properly Trained to Handle These Cases
Many police officers fail to recognize DOXXING & Outing as serious offenses:

>  Failure to investigate reports, leaving victims unprotected.

>  Inconsistent responses, depending on officer awareness.

>  Victim blaming in digital cases.

WHY do the Police officers lack the tools to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from digital privacy violations?

3. Over-Reliance on Galop & & LGBTQ+ Organanisations

📢 Sign Now! ️‍🌈️‍🌈️‍🌈

0people have signed
Goal: 5,000

To The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the United Kingdom, John Edwards and its the Management Board:

Urgent Action Required - Protect LGBTQ+ Individuals from Doxxing & Outing

Dear John Edwards, Information Commissioner,

We call on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to take immediate action to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from DOXXING & Outing, which expose victims to harassment, discrimination, violence, and digital abuse.

Currently, the ICO has no clear public guidance addressing these threats. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request confirmed that the ICO lacks specific training or policies recognizing the unique risks LGBTQ+ people face when their personal information is exposed. This gap in safeguarding leaves victims vulnerable, forcing LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like Galop to step in - when protection should be the ICO’s responsibility.

We call on the ICO to take the following urgent actions:

1. Recognize Outing & DOXXING as serious data protection violations.

> Publicly acknowledge that exposing an individual’s LGBTQ+ identity without consent is a harmful privacy breach with life-altering consequences.

2. Issue clear and enforceable ICO guidance.

> The ICO must develop and publish comprehensive guidelines explicitly protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from DOXXING & Outing under UK data protection laws.

3. Implement mandatory training for ICO staff and UK police.

>  This training, developed in partnership with Galop, must educate officers and ICO employees on:

    The risks and consequences of Outing & DOXXING LGBTQ+ individuals.
    How to identify and respond to these privacy violations effectively.
    The legal protections available to victims under UK data laws.

4. Strengthen reporting and enforcement measures.

>  The ICO must ensure that victims of doxxing and outing can easily report violations and that perpetrators face real consequences.

Protection is better than perilous breach aftermath. The ICO must not wait for further harm before acting. We urge you to act now to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from digital exposure, harassment, and danger.

Sincerely,
️‍🌈️‍🌈️‍🌈  UK’s Vulnerable Rainbow in Need of Greater Protections from Hate ️‍🌈️‍🌈️‍🌈

0people have signed
Goal: 5,000

More ways to take action today!