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New rule for Netflix employees: No looking at anyone for more than five seconds

X Factor

X Factor

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Netflix has introduced new anti-harassment training in the wake of the #metoo movement that rocked Hollywood and seriously disrupted production on its House of Cards show.New rules imposed on set reportedly include no looking at anyone for longer than five seconds, no lingering hugs, no flirting and no asking for a colleague’s phone number.
***snip***
“Senior staff went to a harassment meeting to learn what is and isn’t appropriate. Looking at anyone longer than five seconds is considered creepy.
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https://canadafreepress.com/article...-no-looking-at-anyone-for-more-than-five-seco

Isn’t this getting a little ridiculous?
 
Does that mean that they can't talk for more than 5 seconds at a time? :lol:
 
Everybody take a bong hit!
 
the policy seems a bit silly, but i'm not big on extended eye contact anyway. wouldn't affect me much.
 
This feels more like a gesture than something they can enforce.

I've always thought that making a great many rules concerning human behavior in any environment causes more problems than it solves. A rule like don't look at someone for more than five seconds, gives anyone with any kind of problem with you the chance to cause difficulties for you. How do you prove you didn't stare at someone for five seconds.

Much like when two children accused a bunch of people of being witches based on whether they saw a mark on them or not. How do you defend against that? You can't, and a lot of people died. I know it's not that extreme.

But, the principle remains the same. And it's not even that effective in curbing harassment. The only thing I've ever found that cured a workplace of harassment is getting rid of the guy who's doing it when they are caught. Advising anyone with a complaint to record every occurrence, use their phone to record an incident, and get the guy fired.

Because rules don't make people better, just allows worse people to game the system. Holding those accountable, and making it possible for them to be held accountable, is really the only thing that works.
 
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It really IS an utterly ridiculous policy and I guarantee you it was created by the Netflix Legal Department.
 
It sounds stupid if it's true, but it is also creepy to stare at someone for more than 5 seconds.
 
So I have a 30 minute one on one meeting with one of my staff and I'm only supposed to look at the for 5 seconds? Idiocy.
 
Gaius46 said:
So I have a 30 minute one on one meeting with one of my staff and I'm only supposed to look at the for 5 seconds? Idiocy.
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Do you look at a person who is not doing the presentation or speaking for longer than 5 seconds? As in just stare at them, looking at them like they are a piece of meat waiting to be eaten, with drool dripping down your chin on how you would like to see them naked?

If so then it is creepy and the rule is made for situations like that
 
NeverTrumpGOP said:
Well since rich douchebags feel like they can get away with doing w/e they want at work like sending dick pics and touching anything that shows skin, maybe the thinking is that they should enforce the strictest policy. That way normal behavior will self-correct.
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You got some serious class envy going on. "rich douche bags" What about the rest?
 
Lord Tammerlain said:
Do you look at a person who is not doing the presentation or speaking for longer than 5 seconds? As in just stare at them, looking at them like they are a piece of meat waiting to be eaten, with drool dripping down your chin on how you would like to see them naked?

If so then it is creepy and the rule is made for situations like that
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He specifically asked about a one on one conversation, most of which last longer than 5 seconds. Do you not look at the person you’re talking to?
 
X Factor said:
He specifically asked about a one on one conversation, most of which last longer than 5 seconds. Do you not look at the person you’re talking to?
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Certainly but you don't just stare at them in the eyes for the entire conversation, or just switch between their chest, groin to eyes, chest groin eyes.
 
A policy like this will ultimately create even more distrust.
Human beings instinctively do not trust anyone who doesn't look you in the eye.
Shifting one's gaze back and forth is often viewed as an indicator of untrustworthiness.
 
X Factor said:
He specifically asked about a one on one conversation, most of which last longer than 5 seconds. Do you not look at the person you’re talking to?
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I do but in a non creepy way
 
I actually clicked on the story and followed its lead to this story in the Independent, which says:

New rules imposed on set reportedly include no looking at anyone for longer than five seconds, no lingering hugs, no flirting and no asking for a colleague's phone number.
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Oh, that weasel word "reportedly."

Netflix declined to confirm or deny the report, but told The Independent in a statement: "We’re proud of the anti-harassment training we offer to our productions. We want every Netflix production to be a safe and respectful working environment. We believe the resources we offer empower people on our sets to speak up, and shouldn’t be trivialised."
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I'd like to know exactly how this story was generated and how many iterations the new guidelines, which may or may not exist in the alleged form, went through before making it to the Independent.
 
Lord Tammerlain said:
Do you look at a person who is not doing the presentation or speaking for longer than 5 seconds? As in just stare at them, looking at them like they are a piece of meat waiting to be eaten, with drool dripping down your chin on how you would like to see them naked?

If so then it is creepy and the rule is made for situations like that
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I don’t keep a stopwatch going every time I look at someone but probably not.

If someone’s talking to me I expect them to look at me. If they don’t I take it as a sign of disinterest and disrespect.

Trying to regulate every little human behavior is still idiocy and like trying to catch rainwater in a sieve.
 
Gaius46 said:
So I have a 30 minute one on one meeting with one of my staff and I'm only supposed to look at the for 5 seconds? Idiocy.
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There is a difference between staring at someone, and having a 1 to 1 interaction with them
 
RAMOSS said:
There is a difference between staring at someone, and having a 1 to 1 interaction with them
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The article didn't use the word "stare." It used the phrase "look at."
 
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