Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens protections for special-operations personnel and certain federal tactical officers by criminalizing malicious doxxing, trading increased safety and deterrence against targeted threats for risks to free expression, journalistic activity, family online behavior, and added enforcement burdens due to potentially broad or vague definitions.
Special operations personnel and their immediate family members (including military special-operations forces) gain federal criminal protection against malicious publication of home addresses, identifying images, contact details, or other restricted data, reducing risk of targeted violence or harassment.
Federal law-enforcement officers assigned to special operations receive the same legal protections against doxxing and targeted exposure, extending safety protections to civilian federal tactical personnel.
Creates a federal deterrent against malicious doxxing by authorizing criminal penalties (fines and imprisonment) for those who knowingly publish restricted personal information with intent to enable violence, which may reduce malicious online behavior more broadly.
People who publish information about public servants — including journalists and private citizens — could face criminal liability, creating a chilling effect on lawful speech, reporting, and public accountability because prosecutors may interpret broad language or ambiguous intent standards expansively.
Broad or vague definitions of “restricted personal information” risk criminalizing benign disclosures (e.g., linking names and workplaces or publishing images) depending on how intent/knowledge is proven, producing legal uncertainty for publishers and individuals.
Family members of covered personnel may inadvertently have ordinary information-sharing (social posts, photos) exposed to legal risk if intent/knowledge standards are misapplied, potentially limiting everyday online activity by families.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes it a federal crime to knowingly publish specified personal information about special operations personnel or their immediate family, with penalties up to 5 years (or up to life if serious harm results).
Introduced January 16, 2026 by Richard Hudson · Last progress January 16, 2026
Creates a federal crime to knowingly make certain “restricted personal information” about special operations personnel or their immediate family publicly available. The bill defines who counts as a covered person, what kinds of information are restricted (for example name linked to employment, home contact details, images tied to a home or workplace, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, personal emails, and biometric data), and sets criminal penalties — up to 5 years imprisonment or fines for violations and up to life if the disclosure results in death or serious bodily injury. It also adds the new statute to the Title 18 table and establishes a short title for the law.