Hounding and Humiliation

In a time where reputation and standing are crucial for one's success, hounding and humiliation can have significant consequences. Both actions are aimed at exposing and demeaning the targeted individual or individuals, leading to harm to both reputation and pride. Whether hounding and humiliation are directed at a single person or an entire company, it is important to manage such matters in the most effective and appropriate manner. If you have insurance with SAFEonNET®, both the company as a whole and the individual employees are ensured the absolute best assistance in case they should become victims of hounding and humiliation.

We live in an information society, where the constant flow of information, especially on the internet, has a substantial impact on our feelings, thoughts, and actions. When we pick up information about a specific person or company, it can either strengthen or weaken our goodwill towards them. Therefore, hounding and humiliation today are even more powerful weapons than they have been in the past. By hounding or humiliating a specific person or company on social media, for instance, one can damage their pride, self-worth, and reputation. Thus, it can be beneficial for both companies and individuals to be well covered in the event they become victims of hounding and/or humiliation – and that insurance can be obtained from SAFEonNET®.

What are Hounding and Humiliation?

To understand the consequences that hounding and humiliation can have both in the short and long term, one must know the meanings of the terms. Although they are closely related, there is an important difference. Hounding is described as “the persecution of someone through public derision, criticism, or the like. Intense, persistent criticism of something, often from many sides.”[1] As an extreme example, we can look at the Jews before and during World War II, who were subjected to severe hounding from the state, the media, and in some cases, fellow citizens. The term humiliation falls within the same category, as it relates to “making someone feel inferior or less valued by treating them in a degrading manner.”[2] Both terms share the commonality of targeting negative actions against a specific group, an individual, or a company to damage their reputation, self-worth, and pride. The difference is that humiliation is a broader term that can encompass many actions from minor things like verbal attacks to serious cases such as the public dissemination of nude images and revenge porn, while hounding is more specifically related to persecution. Therefore, one can say that hounding will almost always be humiliating, but humiliation can easily be something other than hounding.

[1]https://ordnet.dk/ddo/ordbog?query=hetz

[2]https://ordnet.dk/ddo/ordbog?query=ydmyge

Where Does the Threat Come From?

Hounding and humiliation are powerful weapons because they hit a person or a company where it really hurts. Reputation, self-esteem, and pride can easily be damaged by prolonged exposure to hounding and humiliation, while it is difficult to rebuild afterwards. Therefore, it is often the case that those who already have something against the victim are behind hounding and humiliation. This could include an ex-partner who is angry, upset, and frustrated over things that have been said and done and chooses to humiliate the victim publicly by spreading stories or private images and videos. When it comes to companies, one often sees that a hounding or scare campaign is started by a competitor or a customer who feels they have been treated poorly. Thus, virtually anyone can risk falling victim to hounding and humiliation, especially on the internet, where the consequences are often even greater and more difficult to manage than in offline forums.

The Internet Amplifies the Harmful Effect

Hounding and humiliation are an old phenomenon that has seen a renaissance due to the advent of the internet. In the past, a dissatisfied customer could easily spread lies about a company, but there was a natural limit to how great the effect could be. Today, however, that person can write a Facebook post or a review on Trustpilot that can reach thousands and remain visible for many years into the future. Likewise, a private individual who has been subjected to humiliation in the form of revenge porn can also risk that the image or video spreads widely and never completely disappears from the internet. The vast reach and the fact that anyone can post and share graphic material contribute to amplifying the harmful effects of hounding and humiliation. This is largely because the internet does not forget, and therefore humiliating and discriminatory material linked to your personal or company name can be found many years down the line. Therefore, it is a digital threat that is worth taking seriously and protecting oneself against.

The Internet Does Not Forget

It is not only the reach that creates the most favorable conditions for hitting individuals and companies with hounding and humiliation; as previously mentioned, we live in an information society where reputation significantly impacts our success. We use internet search engines so much that it has earned its own term. More and more people are “googling” companies and individuals in connection with potential trades, collaborations, job postings, and even in private contexts. Therefore, it can be incredibly burdensome for both turnover, careers, and private lives if there is compromising material associated with one’s name due to hounding or humiliation. Moreover, the internet does not forget in the same way that people do. Search engines, in particular, are good at retrieving old images, videos, and posts. Thus, one can risk that old and humiliating material remains on one's name and resurfaces when searched for, even many years after the incident. This is yet another factor that makes it incredibly important to get competent help for the proper handling in case a company or individual is subjected to hounding and humiliation.

Difficult to Pursue Legally

Spreading stories and material on the internet with the sole purpose of harming or humiliating an individual or company is illegal. Unfortunately, the digital aspect also means that it is often easier for the perpetrator to hide. This can be done, for instance, using fake profiles, making it almost impossible to discover who is behind the false name. Even if one positively knows who is behind the incident, it is often a burdensome and time-consuming process to hold that individual accountable and simultaneously remove the content from the internet. Once something has been released on the internet that has been shared or seen by many, it is nearly impossible to undo the damage. Precisely because humiliation, hounding, and other digital threats are entirely new issues, our legal system is not yet fully equipped to trace those responsible, punish them, and mitigate the damage. Therefore, it is often difficult and time-consuming to pursue legal action.

Get Help from Digital Experts

So how does one optimally protect themselves against hounding and humiliation on the internet? At SAFEonNET®, we are experts in digital threats and their proper handling, and therefore we offer insurance for companies and their personnel that safeguards against damage and the consequences that follow from hounding and humiliation. We are a group of specialists with in-depth knowledge of both digital threats and the legal aspects, so we can provide the most appropriate and competent handling of a digital crisis situation. We cannot perform miracles, but we assist both individuals and companies throughout the process with advice, legal guidance, and help to contact the authorities. Additionally, we have the best conditions to remove the humiliating or compromising content from the internet, as we specialize in digital reputation and negative exposure. If removal of the material is not possible, we will attempt to bury it under more truthful and positive content, so that your person or company will not have to suffer the consequences of humiliation and hounding for many years to come. With insurance from SAFEonNET®, companies can protect both the organization, themselves, and their colleagues against digital threats by securing the best assistance for themselves.