Cameras off, honesty on

Published October 17, 2025 3:54am ET



As I write these words, I’m also participating in a required “webinar” on the “Safety, Respect, and Inclusiveness” policy at an organization I’m part of. You probably have endured the same kind of thing: you watch a series of little videos, answer some multiple-choice questions, and then there’s a Zoom meeting where everyone has to participate.

There’s often some kind of commissar who runs the thing, demanding that everyone keep their cameras on to ensure all of us are paying attention to the scenario in which a guy rubs up against a co-worker and says, You smell so good today, so that we’re all very, very clear that this is speech and/or action that violates the “Safe Workplace” standards at this organization.

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