Four-day sporting boycott has reinforced the need for Twitter, Facebook and others to kick trolls off their platforms – nowAs we enter the final hours of sport’s four-day online boycott, in protest at the social media giants’ pernicious failure to tackle hate, let’s try imagining an alternative reality. Just as now, it starts with trolls sending racist abuse at, say, Mohamed Salah or Marcus Rashford, or relentlessly attacking a female sports star or commentator. Only, in this parallel universe, a crack team of investigators spring into action.What might happen next? First the investigators would find out the culprits’ names, telephone numbers, and where they lived. Then the authorities would be alerted. Shortly afterwards, accounts would be closed down. And, in...
Blackouts aren’t a perfect solution, but this one can play a part in a wider campaign to tackle racism, sexism and homophobia For as long as prejudice and abuse exists in society it will always exist on social media: but that doesn’t mean we have to take it, excuse it on that basis, or ignore it. I have received my fair share of abuse in relation to things I’ve written: “Honestly stop writing about football you clearly know nothing you stupid fucking whore”, “clown”, “you’re a complete idiot. You’re a fake feminist”, “plug in the iron love”, “stay at home just cooking”, “give your head a wobble you stupid cow!”, “ooooooo fuck off Suzy you mutt.” Related: Footballers and clubs...
The Manchester United forward and other players have become lightning rods in a debate which is yet to be resolvedOnce again it falls on Marcus Rashford to lead. The Manchester United forward used his voice this weekend to bring clarity and focus to a problem that should not exist. This time it was not child food poverty that he wanted to talk about, but racism. Racism and the pernicious effect it has, not only on its victims, but on the society that allows it to fester.Rashford was one of several Premier League footballers to have abuse directed at their social media accounts this past week. He wasn’t even the only one in his team. No one knows how many players...
Study of footballers in Brazil shows spending time on a smartphone or console before a game causes mental fatigueCould spending too much time on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram affect a footballer’s performance? Manchester United appear to think so. One report before their trip to Anfield claimed the club were “consulting leading experts” about how to help their stars deal with the negative mental effects of social media and also suggested there were concerns that players were suffering dips in form as a result of being abused online.Some may suggest the players should just “man up”. But scientists are increasingly scrutinising how mental fatigue – the lack of energy we feel from long periods of purely cognitive activity – can influence...
Reactions to the social-media boycott show the players’ union still has much to do to win over sceptics and persuade Twitter et al to actIt wasn’t easy at first to know what to make of the Professional Footballers’ Association’s #enough campaign. It was difficult to be sure if it was genuinely the work of its equalities team or an idea dreamt up by a PR agency. A suspicious mind might have wondered whether the relevant people needed some positive publicity after all that unfortunate business with Gordon Taylor and, even if you were willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, I couldn’t help but feel they were pushing their luck to think a 24-hour boycott of social media,...