Whois is the owner info provided when a domain is registered. Website services, such as Godaddy.com, allow you to purchase Whois private registration for a nominal annual fee. If you decline this, or have at any point in the past, your personal information (including name, address, email, and phone number) is readily available. Purchasing protection after the fact is certainly better than nothing, but removing that data one it's been posted can be slightly difficult.

If you need to have this information public, consider getting a Post Office box to use instead of your physical address. With SWAT'ing and hoaxes flying around, keeping your physical address public is not only a bad idea, but possibly dangerous.

While the internet was a'buzz with llamas and dresses, Twitter dropped an update on the anti-harassment policies they've been working on since December. The new policies started yesterday, but will be rolling out over the course of the next few weeks.

A few notable changes:

Reporting will now be open to bystanders for all areas of abuse, including impersonation and shared private information of fellow users. 

Tripling the amount of staff to work reports so they can be done faster and more efficiently.

Adding several new enforcement measures that won't be known by the average rule-abiding user, but allow more options in discouraging harmful behavior. 

If you find yourself the subject of harassment (or you're human, alive, etc), it's time to reevaluate your relationship with sites such as Facebook.

The ease of information gathering makes Facebook one of the first places doxers go. For those who still use public profiles, you create a buffet of information there for the taking. They can find out practically anything they need to know to expose you - who you're related to, where you work, what businesses you frequent, your dentist, favorite vacation spots, and (if GPS is enabled) a pretty good idea of where you live, which they can compare to public records for confirmation. Even a private profile can reveal some of this same information. Facebook makes it hard to hide this kind of data.

Not only does this make your private information available to them for the taking, but if they wanted to gain access to another accounts (like banking or email), answers to security questions could be readily available. For example:

"Who is was your high school mascot?" Under education, your school may be listed right there. The mascot is one Google search away!

"What was your mother's maiden name?" If she has a Facebook, she might be answering that question for you!

or

"Where did you grow up?" And there it is - year born, place, and maybe even a few friends who were present on that date (hi, Mom!).

We are Paragon Down - a site by BioWare fans, for BioWare fans, with the mission to serve and empower those who face abuse and harassment within our fan community.

Here you will find not only tips and tricks for how to help you avoid being placed in an uncomfortable position, but offers of help and (perhaps most importantly) the best positivity-filled tag we could possibly share.

If you find yourself in a situation in which you are being harassed, or fear that you may be, please:

Contact local law enforcement immediately if your health/security/safety are in danger, if you have been doxxed, or if death threats have been made.

Reach out to us via the “Ask” button on our header in any other situation.

Please note that our “Ask” feature is anonymous only so that non-Tumblr users can contact us. If you do not leave any method to contact you (such as email, Tumblr, or BSN ID), we will be unable to respond.