harassment hypothetical media
At what point is unsolicited explicit material considered harassment?
<p>My significant other and I were talking about how often she seems to get explicit advertisements on Pandora or Youtube. I'm sure many of you have heard one or two at some point - I can type out some examples if needed. Perhaps we just have delicate sensibilities, but we proposed a hypothetical question -</p>
<p>Because of the nature of these unsolicited advertisements, <em>at what point is it equivocal to someone sending unsolicited explicit pictures or text to someone?</em> (Which by my understanding can be considered harassment)</p>
<p>Have I entered into an agreement with the service provider than I consent to receiving these advertisements by using their services? How do the advertisers have the right to broadcast something that I would definitely bring up to HR if I heard a coworker say?</p>

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<p>At what point is unsolicited explicit material considered harassment? How do the advertisers have the right to broadcast something that I would definitely bring up to HR if I heard a coworker say?</p>
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<p>The contexts are too different. One cannot expect much similarity on how the unsolicited explicit communications are addressed.</p>
<p>On platforms such as Youtube the unsolicited explicit material is not sent specifically to you, but to a set of users who at best have some characteristics in common. By contrast, akin communications in a work environment are much likelier to constitute harassment insofar as they usually are intended for a <em>specific</em> person. Your own use of the term &quot;<em>broadcast</em>&quot; reflects your acknowledgment of that difference.</p>
<p>Another difference relates to the recipient's dependency on the environment where the unpleasant communications occur. Implicit in the anti-harassment protections in a work environment is the acknowledgment that the recipient's livelihood depends on that person's continued employment. That dependency renders such communications a form of coercion. By contrast, dependency is much lower or non-existent when it comes to entertainment platforms: the recipient can leave the platform without any consequences that might threaten that person's livelihood.</p>
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<p>Have I entered into an agreement with the service provider than I consent to receiving these advertisements by using their services?</p>
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<p>That is hard to tell. You will need to read the terms of service of these platforms and post another question if some clause(s) is(are) unclear.</p>
