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Online abuse can have a serious impact on performers and other entertainment industry professionals, particularly where it is connected to work, a production, an employer or engager, or your professional profile.
You do not have to simply accept threatening, discriminatory or abusive behaviour as part of working in the public eye. If online abuse is connected to your work, your employer or engager may have a responsibility to take steps to support and protect you.
What is online harassment?
Online harassment and abuse can include:
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repeated unwanted contact
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threats or intimidation
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discriminatory or hateful language
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sexual harassment
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stalking
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impersonation
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doxxing or sharing private or identifying information without your consent.
It can take place through social media, messaging services, email, websites, forums or other online platforms.
Harassment can involve a pattern of behaviour, but a single serious incident may also require action, particularly where it involves threats of violence, hate crime, sexual harassment or the disclosure of personal information.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger call 999.
What should your employer or engager do?
If the harassment is connected to your work, tell your employer, producer or engager as soon as possible. They should take your concerns seriously and consider what reasonable steps can be taken to protect you. Depending on the circumstances, steps could include:
• Taking action where the abuse involves members of staff or colleagues
• Moderating workplace or production social media accounts
• Removing unnecessary identifying information
• Reviewing publicity and social media arrangements
• Providing additional security
• Carrying out or updating a risk assessment
• Agreeing how contact with members of the public will be handled
• Providing you with a named person to contact if further incidents occur
Employers and engagers also have legal duties relating to health and safety and, in some circumstances, harassment and discrimination.
What can you do?
If you’re experiencing online harassment or abuse, here are some practical steps you can take to help protect yourself and get support.
Save the evidence
Before blocking or reporting an account, save evidence of what has happened. Take screenshots showing usernames, dates and times, and keep relevant messages, emails and links.
Where possible, keep a record of repeated incidents. This can help demonstrate a pattern of behaviour and may be useful if you report the abuse to your engager, the platform or the police.
Limit contact and exposure
Being visible as part of your job does not mean you have to tolerate abuse, and you should not be obliged to engage with harmful content even when posting as part of your work.
Avoid or limit engaging with the abusive content or users entirely. You can block or restrict accounts and review your privacy and security settings. and consider limiting personal information that could reveal your location or movements, where you are able to do so. While information about productions, performances or other professional commitments may already be public, avoid sharing additional details such as your accommodation, travel arrangements or real-time location.
Report it to the platform
Use the platform’s reporting functions where appropriate. Make sure you have saved any evidence you may need beforehand in case content or accounts are removed.
Tell your employer or engager
If the abuse is connected to your work, tell your employer, producer or engager. They may be able to take practical steps to reduce the risk and should consider any concerns about your safety at work.
Contact the police
If you receive threats, believe you are being stalked, fear for your safety, or believe a criminal offence or hate crime may have been committed, please consider reporting the matter to the police.
Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger or a crime is in progress. If it is not an emergency, you can report the matter to the police online or by calling 101.
Case study: Online abuse following a performance
An Equity member working as an actor began receiving abusive messages on social media after appearing in a high-profile production. At first the comments were unpleasant but general. They then became more personal, with several accounts repeatedly messaging about the member’s appearance and sexuality.
One user began tagging the member’s employer and colleagues, and later posted information about a venue where the actor was due to perform.
The member took screenshots, blocked the accounts and reported the most serious messages to the platform. They also made the producer aware of what was happening. The producer reviewed the production’s social media arrangements, asked staff not to identify the actor’s movements or accommodation online, increased security at the venue and provided a named contact for any further incidents.
Because some of the messages included threats and homophobic abuse, the actor also reported the abuse to the police.
Key point: Online abuse may become a workplace issue where it arises from your professional work or creates a risk to your safety at work. Keep evidence and tell your engager early rather than trying to deal with escalating abuse alone.
What can Equity do?
Where online harassment or abuse is connected to your work you can contact us as your union. We can help you consider the steps available, including raising concerns with your employer or engager where appropriate. We can also advise where the behaviour may involve discrimination, harassment, health and safety concerns or other workplace rights, and signpost you to specialist support or reporting services where needed.
You do not need to work out whether the behaviour meets a particular legal definition before contacting us. If something connected to your work is making you feel unsafe or you are unsure what to do next, get in touch.