Netherlands: Introduced Bill regarding the criminalisation of the use of personal data for intimidating purposes

On 7 July 2022, a bill regarding the criminalisation of the use of personal data for intimidating purposes, a practice called “doxing”, was introduced in the Dutch Parliament (Staten-Generaal). The bill amends the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure and introduces sanctions for a person that intentionally acquires personal data of another individual or a third party, shares or makes such data accessible, with the intention to induce fear, incite the targeted person, cause significant annoyance, or substantially impede their professional duties. Victims will have the option to file reports with both law enforcement agencies and online platforms, enabling them to request the removal of their personal data. Furthermore, websites and platforms themselves will have the ability to report incidents.