4.1 Acceptable Use Policies - Doxxing and Invasion of Privacy
Updated 17 October 2025
This document outlines a policy against doxxing and invasion of privacy, prohibiting the sharing of personal information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and financial details. It also addresses sharing photos or videos without consent, especially if it poses a safety risk or is intended for harassment. The policy emphasizes considering context and intent, even for publicly available information.
Doxxing and Invasion of Privacy
This document is taken from the GitHub website - more information about GitHub and its functions can be found at https://github.com/. Please note that many of the included provisions are designed for GitHub or similar site (such as for building and developing software with online communities), so they are not relevant to all types of business.
You can amend this document to be suitable for your own Community and purposes using the smart fields and customizing the bracketed sections. We recommend adding hyperlinks to your own policies and website pages - make sure your business has in place all the policies referred to here.
Please find the other specific GitHub Acceptable Use Policies in this 'GitHub Site Policies for Startups' repository.
Don't post other people's personal information. This includes:
Personal, private email addresses
Phone numbers
Physical addresses or other private location information
Bank account information or credit card numbers
Social Security/National Identity numbers
Passwords
Voter information
Medical information and personal biometric data
Other private information that may pose a safety or security risk
We may consider other information, such as photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject's consent, to be an invasion of privacy, especially when such material presents a safety risk to the subject, such as in the case of intimidation or harassment.
[company name] will take context into account as well as whether the reported content is publicly available elsewhere. Please note, however, that while sharing publicly available content may not be a violation of this policy, if the information is shared with the intent to harass or incite other abusive behavior, it may violate our prohibition against bullying and harassment.
[For more information, or to learn how to report a violation, see our Private Information Removal Policy and our instructions for Reporting Abuse.]
Make sure to remove the last sentence here if you do not have a Private Information Removal Policy or instructions for Reporting Abuse.
About this template
What is this template?
4.1 Acceptable Use Policies - Doxxing and Invasion of Privacy is a free, ready-to-use Data Protection & Privacy template you can open, customize, and download on GitLaw. It gives you a professionally structured starting point, so you never have to draft from a blank page. The wording is plain and modern, organized into clear sections that are easy to read, edit, and adapt to your own situation before you share or sign it.
When should you use it?
Reach for this Data Protection & Privacy template whenever you need a reliable agreement quickly and want to be sure the essentials are covered. It suits individuals, freelancers, startups, and established businesses alike. Instead of paying for a document drafted from scratch, you can start here, tailor the details to your arrangement, and have a polished draft ready in minutes. This version is drafted with United States of America in mind, though you should always review the final wording against the laws that apply to you.
What's typically included?
A well-drafted Data Protection & Privacy usually sets out the parties involved, the scope of the agreement, and each side's rights and responsibilities. Expect sections covering key terms and definitions, how long the agreement lasts, how it can be ended, and what happens if something goes wrong. This template brings those building blocks together in a sensible order, so you can focus on the specifics rather than worrying about what to include. Open it to read the full document, then sign up to edit, negotiate, and e-sign it directly in GitLaw.