Trolling and Doxxing of Faculty

Lehigh University’s mission of teaching, learning, research and scholarship for the common good depends on an atmosphere in which Faculty enjoy the fullest protection for freedom of inquiry, thought, expression, research, publication, and peaceable assembly. Academic Freedom is essential to the unfettered search for knowledge and its free expression. 
—Lehigh R&P §2.1.1

Lehigh is committed to protecting both the academic freedom and the well-being of its faculty. Trolling (maliciously posting offensive or disruptive messages online to intentionally upset one or more people) and doxxing (unauthorized release of phone numbers, addresses, or other personal information) attacks have increased in recent years. Such attacks can be personally upsetting and professionally disruptive. 

Lehigh takes such attacks seriously. This page provides resources for faculty members who are trolled or doxxed online as a result of their expression stemming from their research, teaching, service, or other work related to Lehigh in accordance with its applicable policies. 

(Faculty members who are trolled or doxxed as a result of non-Lehigh activities, such as a comment they made at a local school board meeting or a dispute with a neighbor, are still welcome to make use of the guidance provided below, but Lehigh may not be able to provide the same level of professional support in these cases.)

What to Do If You are Trolled or Doxxed Online

If you believe you or someone else is at risk of physical harm, call Campus Safety at (610) 758-4200 immediately.

Then, contact the Deputy Provost for Faculty Affairs (DPFA), who can work with you to take the steps listed below. You will have control over what actions are taken; the DPFA is there to coordinate the support. If you would prefer to work with your Department Chair, Dean, or someone else at Lehigh, or to take these steps on your own, that’s fine too; the DPFA is available to assist as needed. 

  • If you do not believe you are at risk of physical harm, but you believe the behavior may be a criminal offense, contact LUPD at 610-758-4200 and/or your local police department.

  • Save any emails, voicemails, text messages, or other communications you receive as part of the attack.
  • Take screenshots of relevant social media posts, online comments, and so on. If possible, include the message, the sender/poster, the online location, and the date and time.
  • It can be emotionally difficult to gather this information. It’s fine to ask a trusted colleague or friend to help you or to do it for you. LTS can also help with this task.

  • Doxxing and trolling attacks are usually intense but short-lived.
  • Responding to these attacks tends to prolong and escalate incidents. (The conventional wisdom is “don’t feed the trolls.”) 
  • If media outlets contact you, you do not need to respond. You can consult with University Communications and Public Affairs (UCPA) about whether and how to respond.
  • If you believe your students or classes might be disrupted, talk with your Department Chair about alternate instruction plans.
  • If the attack involves a student recording you in class, know that you have the right to prohibit audio/video recording in your classroom (unless specified by accommodations the student has received from Disability Support Services).

  • LTS can temporarily “quarantine” your email messages that match certain filters in order to divert trolling emails away from your inbox. These emails will be saved and available if you need them, but moved to a separate folder. You can also ask for your contact information to be temporarily removed or hidden from the campus directory, department webpages, and other Lehigh webpages. You can discuss these and other measures by requesting an LTS security consultation.
  • Consider taking a break from social media for a few days. Remove social media apps from your phone to avoid notifications and the temptation to check social media.
  • Revisit your privacy settings on social media to control who can message you, comment on your posts, and so on.
  • Mute or block posts or users who are involved in the attack or who make you feel unsafe. You do not owe anyone an explanation about why you have muted or blocked them.
  • As an extra precaution, change your Lehigh password, as well as your passwords on social media sites. Use secure passwords, and turn on two-factor authentication where possible.
  • Report the behavior to the social media platform(s) involved. Most platforms act quickly on these reports, especially if they receive more than one report. Activate your support network and ask them to also file a report on the content or profile in question. These reports are also used for any police case filings.
  • Once the attack has passed, search for yourself online to find out what ripples the attack has had on your online presence. Request that incorrect information be removed from Google, social media, and elsewhere. This can be time consuming and overwhelming, so experts recommend doing this after the attack is over.

University Resources

  • Lehigh University Police Department (LUPD), (610) 758-4200
  • Provost’s Office, (610) 758-3605
  • Library and Technology Services (LTS), (610) 758-4357
  • University Communications and Public Affairs (UCPA), (610) 758-4487
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP), (866) 799-2728 (HealthAdvocate)
  • Title IX/Equal Opportunity Compliance Coordinator (EOCC), (610) 758-3535
  • Office of the General Counsel (OGC), (610) 758-3572 
  • Student Counseling & Psychological Services (UCPS), (610) 758-3880

Other Resources