Cell phone numbers

Here’s a stupid hypothetical for you....
I'm sure goldengull3 will jump in here, probably.

Let's say I get my hands on the cell phone numbers of some public figures.
Then I decide to blast them all over the internet.
Am I looking at actual legal trouble for that?

Maria Stewart57 said:Here is a rather mindless hypothetical....
I assume goldengull3 will jump in here.

Let’s say I somehow get my hands on the cell phone numbers of several public figures.
Then, I decide to leak them all online.
Would I face any actual legal repercussions?

As I see it, you're only looking at trouble if those specific numbers have been officially classified—for instance, if you find a list where the header explicitly marks the information as top secret.

One really ought to distinguish between data that is legally classified and data that is simply unlisted in the directory.

Back in the day, roughly fifteen years ago, right as the democratic shifts were taking hold in the USA, a member of Congress lost his personal address book. Journalists scooped it up and published it dutifully, providing direct lines to the head of state, party leaders, and even the CIA... Granted, we didn't have mobile phones back then.

Even so, the fallout would mostly be practical: those individuals would be forced to change their numbers. Carriers charge for that service, and then they’d have to notify everyone who actually needs those new digits. Ultimately, the real financial burden would just fall on the taxpayers, and I suspect that isn't quite your intention, is it?

Plus, he didn't even say which public figures he was talking about!

Maybe some of them actually want that kind of attention!

Could I actually get sued for this?

Oh, you absolutely can. For example, someone could come after you for emotional distress caused by posting their info.
Depending on who we're talking about, leaking their number might result in them getting bombarded with calls—some people being "well-meaning" and others being straight-up creeps. That kind of thing causes real issues, like losing your mind, wasting a business professional's time, or even dealing with actual threats. As for actual cash damages—like the cost of changing a phone number or playing phone tag to update contacts—that's probably negligible, but still.
Basically, if that person has a decent lawyer on speed dial, you’re gonna have a bad time.
And look, when someone goes out of their way to keep their number private, there’s usually a damn good reason for it.

nn-st1 said:Sure you can. For instance, you could be sued for emotional distress caused by leaking that info.
Depending on who we're talking about, publishing their number might result in them being flooded with calls—whether people mean well or aren't so friendly—which leads to real headaches, like losing sleep, wasting business hours, or dealing with actual threats. As for physical damages, the cost of changing a number and updating contacts is pretty much negligible.
Basically, if they’ve got a high-priced lawyer on retainer, you’re gonna have a bad time...
When someone keeps their number private, there's usually a damn good reason why...

Just because someone has a valid reason to stay off the grid doesn't mean everyone else has to respect that boundary.
What's that supposed to mean, "if they have a good lawyer, you'll have a bad time"? The question is whether or not you're legally allowed to publish it. To me, this seems like a black-and-white issue—it's either legal or it isn't—and how expensive someone's attorney is shouldn't change what a judge decides....
That's just my two cents, anyway...😉