Social media companies must do more to prevent online abuse for this reason, this weekend, the Premier League and our clubs will join other leagues, bodies and organizations for English football and sport in general to boycott social networks and demand changes.
The Premier League and our clubs will separate Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts during a full round of matches, from 3 PM (UK) on Friday, April 30th, until 11:59 PM (UK) on Monday, May 3. The association will also stop posting on its YouTube channel during the boycott.
Why boycott social media?
We want social media companies to do more to prevent discriminatory online violations that players and many others receive around the world, without any real-life consequences for the perpetrators.
We know that boycott alone will not eliminate this, which is why we will continue to take proactive steps to call for change. We will not stop challenging social media companies until discriminatory online abuse is removed from our game and society at large.
What changes do we want to see?
We demand important action from social media companies, including:
- Preventive filtering and blocking procedures to prevent the transmission or display of discriminatory violations.
- Responsibility for the security of their platforms and the protection of users by implementing an effective verification process.
- Ensuring real consequences for discriminatory online abuse: blocking perpetrators, stopping new account registrations, and supporting law enforcement.
- A warning message is displayed if the user wrote an offensive message and required to enter personal data if they wanted to send the message.
- The platforms should have robust, transparent, and prompt procedures when sending or posting offensive material.
- Customized reports on the work social media companies are doing, internally and externally, to eliminate discriminatory violations on their platforms.
We also ask the UK government to ensure that its Cyber Security Act brings robust legislation to make social media companies more accountable for what happens on their platforms.
Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, said: “Racist behavior is unacceptable in any way, and the egregious abuses that we see players receiving on social media platforms cannot continue.
“The Premier League and our clubs along with football in implementing this boycott to highlight the urgent need for social media companies to do more to eliminate racial hatred. We will not stop challenging social media companies and want to see major improvements in their policies and processes to combat abuse. Online discrimination on their platforms. “
“Football is a diverse sport, bringing together societies and cultures from all backgrounds and this diversity makes competition stronger. In Room For Racism, it represents all the work we do to promote equality, diversity and inclusion, and combat discrimination.”
Earlier this year, the Premier League launched the “No Room for Racism” action plan, which outlines a series of commitments aimed at increasing access and career advancement for blacks, Asians and other ethnic minorities in football, and taking action to eliminate racial prejudice. .
The commitments build on actions already taken by the Premier League and clubs to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
Through the Premier League Online Monitoring and Reporting Systems, we support players, officials and their families who experience discriminatory online abuse. We take immediate action in all cases and investigate all complaints received, with legal action taken whenever possible.
How can you help?
By reporting discriminatory abuse online, you can help prevent this unacceptable behavior and protect others from seeing the offensive content. Everyone has a responsibility Report abuse online.
If you have experienced discrimination or seen it on social media, you can report it at Online complaint form Kick It Out or its whistleblowing app available to iOS e Male in appearance. You must also inform the local police force by filling out a report Here.
If you see a social media post that you think is discriminatory, you can report it on the website or platform where it was posted. They have people review your report and decide to withdraw it. Click on the relevant links below to learn how to report each platform: The social networking site Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tik Tok | snap chat | Youtube
