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Proposal to protect children from online harassment and 'doxxing' advanced by Maine lawmakers

Proposal to protect children from online harassment and 'doxxing' advanced by Maine lawmakers

Yahoo11-06-2025

Jun. 10—AUGUSTA — A proposal to protect children from online harassment and "doxxing" advanced in the Maine Legislature Tuesday.
The bill would allow families to file a lawsuit or seek a protection from harassment order if a child is targeted.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives voted 78-69 in support, followed by the Senate voting 18-14 in support. It will face an additional round of votes before it could be sent to Gov. Janet Mills for her consideration.
"Doxxing is harmful," said Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, the bill's sponsor. "It is hurtful, and no child should be subjected to it."
The proposal moves forward after Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, was censured by the House in February for posting photos on Facebook of a transgender student as she led calls for the state to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' high school sports. The incident has added to the momentum behind the bill, though it was submitted prior to Libby's post.
Sachs said she introduced the bill because of a separate case in 2023 in which an adult was targeting a different student in Freeport through social media posts, website content and podcasts.
"I was horrified," said Sachs, who said she was also surprised to learn that there were no Maine laws that mentioned doxxing, which is the knowing or reckless disclosure of personal information that causes physical harm or property damage, constitutes stalking or causes the targeted person to fear for their safety.
The bill, LD 537, allows for civil lawsuits against a person who engages in doxxing of a minor and also would allow a minor to obtain a protection from harassment order.
Debate on the bill in the House Tuesday was brief. Lawmakers opposed to it said they support the idea but took issue with the way the bill was written. In the Senate, several Republican lawmakers who ended up opposing the measure asked questions and said they were unclear how the proposal differs from what is already allowed in Maine law.
Sen. Anne Carney, D-Cape Elizabeth, responded saying that while the bill doesn't provide for any criminal penalties, it does offer an avenue for civil action in cases that might be hard to prosecute and allows for injunctive relief, which is a court order prohibiting someone from doing something.
"This is a piece of legislation that won't apply to a lot of cases because the elements of the civil action are hard to establish, and intentionally so. But the reality is children are being coerced in these ways, and we need to protect them," Carney said.
At a public hearing in March, lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee heard overwhelming support from students, educators and mental health professionals about the need for the bill. They also received written testimony in support from Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey.
Frey said that doxxing is difficult to regulate because of the First Amendment. "But the language in this bill is carefully crafted to anticipate any potential First Amendment concerns and can be defended against a constitutional challenge," he wrote.
Several people who testified at the hearing cited Libby's post as a reason the legislation is needed. Libby has defended her actions, saying the state track championship she posted about was a public event and that photos were already posted elsewhere online. She used the student's first name but not their last name.
The bill initially approved Tuesday does not cover photos of children if the photos were taken in a public place or previously made public, unless the photos are accompanied by the minor's name or other personal information such as contact information or the address of their home or school.
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