The ethics of digital communication in hybrid societies: cyberloafing, empathy and relational accountability

Purpose This study aims to explore how cyberloafing − commonly viewed as a counterproductive or stress-related behavior − can be reinterpreted through a relational and ethical lens. It investigates how digital communication technologies in hybrid work settings alter the moral perception of online behaviors, focusing especially on the differences between online and offline manifestations of cyberloafing and their relational consequences. Design/methodology/approach Integrating insights from moral psychology, construal level theory and relational ethics, this paper draws on recent empirical and conceptual research to assess how cyberloafing affects interpersonal accountability and empathy. Special attention is given to how technology-mediated communication transforms the ethical salience of cyberloafing in hybrid workplaces, where online and offline interactions coexist but operate under different perceptual and moral dynamics. Findings Digital environments amplify the moral significance of cyberloafing by muting social cues and increasing psychological distance. The same act − such as a delayed response or passive disengagement − may be perceived as more ethically disruptive in online contexts than in face-to-face interactions. Empathic concern is more likely to be activated because information and communication technologies obscure intent, prompting coworkers to interpret silence or withdrawal as a relational breach. This highlights how moral meaning depends not only on behavior but also on the medium of communication through which it is perceived. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explicitly compare the interpersonal and ethical consequences of cyberloafing in both online and offline settings. It responds to recent calls for more contextualized approaches to workplace deviance and contributes to a richer understanding of how digital communication shapes moral sensitivity, responsibility and care in technology-mediated work societies. The framework proposed bridges individual behavior with broader concerns in information ethics and communication responsibility, offering a fresh lens on digital accountability at work.