Law-Forums.org

[eoforwic]

Basically I was wondering if it was illegal (by Australian law, but I guess any law will be handy information) for someone to post someones -- somewhat -- personal information online, such as -- or including all of -- the following: home address, mobile phone number, unlisted home phone number, place of work, place of study etc. with the intent that this person will be contacted by people they do not know and, I'm guessing, harassed by them in the form of online defamation by said strangers on social media sites etc.?

Would this be considered harassment or online defamation? Could an AVO be taken against someone who has this information -- and has "threatened" to post it online -- by the persons whose information is known, because they felt as though the person obtained the information from other people (i.e. given the information when it was not their right to know) as their home address, phone number, and unlisted phone number are not available (to their knowledge anyway) online?

[garret]

Invasion of privacy with malicious intent, If something were to happen YOU would be liable.

[lazaro94]

No, don't worry. The person with the disclosed information will be long raped/murdered by themselves or others before they can report you.

[bernd]

Oh yeah, you bet your *** it is. In the US you can look at prison time.

[ned]

Oh yeah, you bet your *** it is. In the US you can look at prison time.

It should be illegal, yes!

[shaddoc98]

Um, YES! And not just with the intent that they will be harassed; but posting other people's information online without permission is a criminal offence. It breaches the constitutional right to privacy as well as various international declarations and conventions. You're releasing personal information that you don't have the right to give out. You can get fined, AVO'd, sued for defamation and damages and you can get up to 10 years jail time; and if the person whose information you're handing out is under the age of 18 you can be tried under conventions that protect children as well, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child.

I wouldn't plan on doing it if I were you, because this question is now considered as premeditation of a crime and the people who read it are now witnesses.