AUGUSTA — Maine lawmakers are considering a bill to prohibit adults from posting identifying information of minors online.

Called doxing, the actions sometimes result in the person being targeted at school or through social media. The legislation defines doxing as disclosing the identifying information without the person’s consent and when the disclosure is intended to cause harm.

The harm can include stalking, physical harm, property damage or a reasonable “fear for that person’s own physical safety or to reasonably fear for the physical safety of a close relation.”

The bill comes just days after the Maine House censured state Rep. Laurel Libby, an Auburn Republican, for posting information on Facebook featuring photos of a high school transgender athlete. 

During testimony at the State House Monday, supporters of the new bill said it’s time to protect the most vulnerable from harassment.

“Doxing is literally dehumanizing and it’s especially heinous when the dehumanized victims are vulnerable children,” the Rev. Jane Field, executive director of the Maine Council of Churches told members of the Judiciary Committee.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Melanie Sachs (D-Freeport) seeks to allow parents or guardians to sue the person who posted the information and to seek damages.  

Sachs said she brought the bill forward in response to a 2023 incident in which an adult was “relentlessly targeting a student in Freeport through social media posts, website content and podcasts.”

She said she contacted the Maine Attorney General’s Office to try to see if there was anything that could be done in response.

“I was surprised and incredulous to learn there were no Maine statutes preventing an adult from doxing a child,” she said.

Gardiner Area High School senior Sage Sculli told lawmakers that she was doxed after serving as a student member of the local school board. Following her support of what she described as “transgender youth mental health,” she was the subject of a public records request. 

She turned over text messages, social media activity and other electronic communications.

“These private details were then published online on X, formerly Twitter, where my name was used to paint me as immature, incompetent and disrespectful,” she said. “No minor should have to endure this level of targeted harassment and public exposure simply for expressing their beliefs.”

Gia Drew, executive director of EqualityMaine, said she experienced doxing after being named the head of the organization about three years ago. She said someone came to her house and threatened her and her partner.

Even after reaching out to local law enforcement, they were not able to identify the person behind the threats. 

When it comes to minors, she said a recent survey of Maine high school students shows that LGBTQ students are twice as likely to be bullied at school. She said 2,600 LGBTQ high school students “seriously considered suicide in the past year.”

“The physical and psychological threats are real and LGBTQ kids are paying a horrible price just for being themselves,” she said.

The committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.