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Online harassment must be recognized as an occupational risk

4 0
12.06.2026

(Version française disponible ici.)

When we think of the risks associated with an employee’s online presence, attention often focuses on the reputational risks for employers. Frequently overlooked is an equally important issue: the harassment of employees speaking on behalf of their organizations. This risk is both real and on the rise as online visibility becomes more expected of many professionals.

Across a growing number of industries, social media presence is encouraged, valued, and sometimes implicitly expected of employees. Increasingly, they are called upon to represent their organizations publicly through content creation, audience engagement, and the management of their digital image. For organizations, this visibility serves as a strategic tool for communication and brand differentiation.

Employees themselves become sources of visibility and credibility for their organizations. From a marketing perspective, they can be conceptualized as “human brands” whose value stems from their ability to foster trust, engagement and a sense of connection with their audiences.

In this context, digital presence is gradually becoming an extension of work itself. Yet it also exposes workers to personal risk, including harassment and online hate.

These psychological vulnerabilities remain insufficiently recognized within existing labour protection frameworks. 

When visibility becomes a professional requirement

Despite the rapid transformation of work environments, occupational........

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