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Social Media and How it Can Play a Role in Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Social media can exacerbate sexual harassment in the workplace by providing a platform for anonymous harassment, public shaming, cyberstalking, workplace gossip, and non-consensual sharing of images. Here are some ways in which it can happen:
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Online harassment: Social media provides a platform for people to anonymously or pseudonymously harass others. This anonymity can embolden harassers to make sexually explicit comments, send inappropriate messages, or share explicit images.
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Public shaming: Social media allows people to share their experiences and opinions publicly. Sometimes, victims of sexual harassment use social media to share their stories and name their harassers. While this can be empowering, it can also result in public shaming and harassment of the accused, who may be innocent.
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Cyberstalking: Social media can be used to stalk someone online, monitoring their activity, and gathering personal information. This can be particularly dangerous if the harasser is a coworker or someone who has access to the victim's workplace.
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Workplace gossip: Social media can also be used to spread rumors and gossip about coworkers, including spreading false or defamatory information about someone's sexual behavior or preferences.
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Non-consensual sharing of images: Social media can be used to share explicit images without the victim's consent. This can be particularly damaging to a person's reputation and can lead to further harassment.
Overall, it is important for employers to have policies and procedures in place to address social media harassment and to create a safe and respectful workplace.
This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.
Click the following links for "Social Media and How it Can Play a Role in Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" compliance posters:
Federal Sexual Harassment Policy