1     
DOXING PROHIBITION AMENDMENTS

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

5     
House Sponsor: Lee B. Perry

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill prohibits the dissemination of personal information without authorization.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     prohibits the disclosure or dissemination of identifying information with the intent
13     or knowledge that the information will be further disseminated;
14          ▸     defines identifying information; and
15          ▸     provides that if the information is used to harass the person, it is a second degree
16     felony.
17     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18          None
19     Other Special Clauses:
20          None
21     Utah Code Sections Affected:
22     AMENDS:
23          76-6-702, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 72
24          76-6-703, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 193
25     

26     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27          Section 1. Section 76-6-702 is amended to read:
28          76-6-702. Definitions.
29          As used in this part:
30          (1) "Access" means to directly or indirectly use, attempt to use, instruct, communicate
31     with, cause input to, cause output from, or otherwise make use of any resources of a computer,
32     computer system, computer network, or any means of communication with any of them.
33          (2) "Authorization" means having the express or implied consent or permission of the
34     owner, or of the person authorized by the owner to give consent or permission to access a
35     computer, computer system, or computer network in a manner not exceeding the consent or
36     permission.
37          (3) "Computer" means any electronic device or communication facility that stores,
38     retrieves, processes, or transmits data.
39          [(5)] (4) "Computer network" means:
40          (a) the interconnection of communication or telecommunication lines between:
41          (i) computers; or
42          (ii) computers and remote terminals; or
43          (b) the interconnection by wireless technology between:
44          (i) computers; or
45          (ii) computers and remote terminals.
46          [(6)] (5) "Computer property" includes electronic impulses, electronically produced
47     data, information, financial instruments, software, or programs, in either machine or human
48     readable form, any other tangible or intangible item relating to a computer, computer system,
49     computer network, and copies of any of them.
50          [(4)] (6) "Computer system" means a set of related, connected or unconnected, devices,
51     software, or other related computer equipment.
52          (7) "Confidential" means data, text, or computer property that is protected by a security
53     system that clearly evidences that the owner or custodian intends that it not be available to
54     others without the owner's or custodian's permission.
55          [(12)] (8) "Financial instrument" includes any check, draft, money order, certificate of
56     deposit, letter of credit, bill of exchange, electronic fund transfer, automated clearing house
57     transaction, credit card, or marketable security.
58          (9) (a) "Identifying information" means any personal information, including the
59     person's:
60          (i) address or other location;
61          (ii) social security number;
62          (iii) driver license number;
63          (iv) nondriver governmental identification number;
64          (v) telephone number;
65          (vi) bank account number;
66          (vii) student identification number;
67          (viii) credit or debit card number;
68          (ix) personal identification number;
69          (x) unique biometric data;
70          (xi) employee or payroll number;
71          (xii) automated or electronic signature;
72          (xiii) computer image file;
73          (xiv) photograph;
74          (xv) computer screen name or password; or
75          (xvi) information in which the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
76          (b) "Identifying information" does not include information that is lawfully available
77     from publicly available information, or from federal, state, or local government records
78     lawfully made available to the general public.
79          [(8)] (10) "Information" does not include information obtained:
80          (a) through use of:
81          (i) an electronic product identification or tracking system; or
82          (ii) other technology used by a retailer to identify, track, or price goods; and
83          (b) by a retailer through the use of equipment designed to read the electronic product
84     identification or tracking system data located within the retailer's location.
85          [(9)] (11) "License or entitlement" includes:
86          (a) licenses, certificates, and permits granted by governments;
87          (b) degrees, diplomas, and grades awarded by educational institutions;
88          (c) military ranks, grades, decorations, and awards;
89          (d) membership and standing in organizations and religious institutions;
90          (e) certification as a peace officer;
91          (f) credit reports; and
92          (g) another record or datum upon which a person may be reasonably expected to rely in
93     making decisions that will have a direct benefit or detriment to another.
94          [(10)] (12) "Security system" means a computer, computer system, network, or
95     computer property that has some form of access control technology implemented, such as
96     encryption, password protection, other forced authentication, or access control designed to keep
97     out unauthorized persons.
98          [(11)] (13) "Services" include computer time, data manipulation, and storage functions.
99          [(13)] (14) "Software" or "program" means a series of instructions or statements in a
100     form acceptable to a computer, relating to the operations of the computer, or permitting the
101     functioning of a computer system in a manner designed to provide results including system
102     control programs, application programs, or copies of any of them.
103          Section 2. Section 76-6-703 is amended to read:
104          76-6-703. Computer crimes and penalties.
105          (1) A person who without authorization gains or attempts to gain access to and alters,
106     damages, destroys, discloses, or modifies any computer, computer network, computer property,
107     computer system, computer program, computer data or software, and thereby causes damage to
108     another, or obtains money, property, information, or a benefit for any person without legal
109     right, is guilty of:
110          (a) a class B misdemeanor when:
111          (i) the damage caused or the value of the money, property, or benefit obtained or
112     sought to be obtained is less than $500; or
113          (ii) the information obtained is not confidential;
114          (b) a class A misdemeanor when the damage caused or the value of the money,
115     property, or benefit obtained or sought to be obtained is or exceeds $500 but is less than
116     $1,500;
117          (c) a third degree felony when the damage caused or the value of the money, property,
118     or benefit obtained or sought to be obtained is or exceeds $1,500 but is less than $5,000;
119          (d) a second degree felony when the damage caused or the value of the money,
120     property, or benefit obtained or sought to be obtained is or exceeds $5,000; or
121          (e) a third degree felony when:
122          (i) the property or benefit obtained or sought to be obtained is a license or entitlement;
123          (ii) the damage is to the license or entitlement of another person; [or]
124          (iii) the information obtained is confidential or identifying information; or
125          (iv) in gaining access the person breaches or breaks through a security system.
126          (2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), a person who intentionally or
127     knowingly and without authorization gains or attempts to gain access to a computer, computer
128     network, computer property, or computer system under circumstances not otherwise
129     constituting an offense under this section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
130          (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (2)(a), a retailer that uses an electronic product
131     identification or tracking system, or other technology to identify, track, or price goods is not
132     guilty of a violation of Subsection (2)(a) if the equipment designed to read the electronic
133     product identification or tracking system data and used by the retailer to identify, track, or price
134     goods is located within the retailer's location.
135          (3) (a) A person who discloses or disseminates another person's identifying information
136     with the intention or knowledge that others will further disseminate or use the person's
137     identifying information is guilty of a third degree felony.
138          (b) If the disclosure or dissemination of another person's identifying information results
139     in electronic communication harassment, as described in Section 76-9-201, of the person
140     whose identifying information is disseminated, the person disseminating the information is
141     guilty of:
142          (i) a class B misdemeanor if the person whose identifying information is disseminated
143     is an adult; or
144          (ii) a class A misdemeanor if the person whose identifying information is disseminated
145     is a minor.
146          (c) A second offense under Subsection (3)(b)(i) is a class A misdemeanor.
147          (d) A second offense under Subsection (3)(b)(ii), and a third or subsequent offense
148     under this Subsection (3)(b), is a third degree felony.
149          [(3)] (4) A person who uses or knowingly allows another person to use any computer,
150     computer network, computer property, or computer system, program, or software to devise or
151     execute any artifice or scheme to defraud or to obtain money, property, services, or other things
152     of value by false pretenses, promises, or representations, is guilty of an offense based on the
153     value of the money, property, services, or things of value, in the degree set forth in Subsection
154     76-10-1801(1).
155          [(4)] (5) A person who intentionally or knowingly and without authorization, interferes
156     with or interrupts computer services to another authorized to receive the services is guilty of a
157     class A misdemeanor.
158          [(5)] (6) It is an affirmative defense to Subsections (1) and (2) that a person obtained
159     access or attempted to obtain access in response to, and for the purpose of protecting against or
160     investigating, a prior attempted or successful breach of security of a computer, computer
161     network, computer property, computer system whose security the person is authorized or
162     entitled to protect, and the access attempted or obtained was no greater than reasonably
163     necessary for that purpose.
164          (7) Subsections (3)(a) and (b) do not apply to a person who provides information in
165     conjunction with a report under Title 34A, Chapter 6, Utah Occupational Safety and Health
166     Act, or Title 67, Chapter 21, Utah Protection of Public Employees Act.




Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel