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There has been an increase in reports of antisemitism in Australia since Israel鈥檚 war against Hamas began in October. In the United States, nearly two-thirds of American Jews feel less secure than they did a year ago, according to a new national survey.

The Australian government said on Feb. 13 it will outlaw doxxing 鈥� the malicious release online of personal or identifying information without the subject鈥檚 permission 鈥� after pro-Palestinian activists published personal details of hundreds of Jewish people in Australia.

The government was responding to Nine Entertainment news reports last week that pro-Palestinian activists had published the names, images, professions, and social media accounts of Jewish people working in academia and the creative industries.

鈥淭he increasing use of online platforms to harm people through practices like doxxing, the malicious release of their personal information without their permission, is a deeply disturbing development,鈥� Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who is Jewish, told reporters.

The Australian government鈥檚 online safety watchdog defines doxxing, which is also known as 鈥渄ropping dox鈥� or documents, as the 鈥渋ntentional online exposure of an individual鈥檚 identity, private information or personal details without their consent.鈥�

Asked for his definition, Mr. Dreyfus said doxing was the 鈥渕alicious release, publicly, of personal information of people without their consent.鈥�

鈥淲e live in a vibrant multicultural community which we should strive to protect,鈥� Mr. Dreyfus said.

The Australian government鈥檚 plan to outlaw doxxing was welcomed by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, which represents Australia鈥檚 Jewish community.

鈥淲e look forward to working with the government to ensure the full extent of the harm caused is understood and that the new laws effectively protect Australians from this shameful and dangerous practice,鈥� council president Daniel Aghion said.

Monash University cybersecurity expert Nigel Phair applauded the idea of a law against doxxing, but questioned how it could be enforced.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really difficult for policing agencies to police such laws when, really, they just don鈥檛 get the access to the data. Really, it鈥檚 the social media companies who bear the responsibility,鈥� Mr. Phair told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Antisemitism on the rise in the United States

One-quarter of American Jews said they have been the target of antisemitism in the past year. Almost half of American Jews responding to the survey said they had altered their behavior during the past year to avoid antisemitism 鈥� changing what they wore, what they posted online, or where they went so other people wouldn鈥檛 know they were Jewish.

Most Americans who witnessed antisemitism saw it online or on social media, but only 5% said they reported it. More than 1 in 5 American Jews said an online incident made them feel physically threatened.

鈥淪o it鈥檚 not just some of the memes or jokes,鈥� said Holly Huffnagle, the American Jewish Committee鈥檚 (AJC) U.S. director for combating antisemitism. 鈥淭his is real, vitriolic antisemitism that鈥檚 affecting them, that鈥檚 making them feel physically unsafe.鈥�

鈥淚 live in a rural area and my home is most likely the only Jewish home in a 30-mile radius,鈥� a woman is quoted as saying in the survey report. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 tell people and outside the home do not show that we are Jewish.鈥�

The Biden administration released a national strategy last year to combat antisemitism, and the AJC is encouraging further action on those recommendations. Ted Deutch, the CEO of AJC and a former member of Congress, said they will keep working with the government to implement the national strategy.

鈥淏ut ultimately,鈥� Mr. Deutch said, 鈥渨e鈥檙e really looking to our friends, our allies in other faith communities, in our places of work, in our schools, to stand with us, to understand how we feel and to work together to fight antisemitism and in turn to fight hatred of all kinds.鈥�

This story was reported by The Associated Press.聽