EPL’s social media blackout shows social media companies need to act – and fast
As athletes endure abuse via social media, Thrive PR & Communications group account director (Sport) Pete Fairbairn examines what teams, managers and brands are doing in response.
Amongst the anger and despair felt amongst football fans across the globe following the European Super League announcement and subsequent fallout, an announcement that was even more significant for the English game – if not the world – flew under the radar.
In light of the continual online abuse suffered by their players, intensifying in dizzying proportion over recent weeks and months, the English Premier League revealed its plans for a social media blackout from 1-3 May. All 20 Clubs, and the league itself, will go silent across all platforms for three days, following in the footsteps of a move recently independently undertaken by British Clubs including Birmingham City, Rangers and Swansea.
Racist comments and emojis continue to follow players. They can come from their own ‘fans’ if they perform poorly and lose or, in the case of a striker, miss a seemingly easy goal. Likewise, they appear from opposition fans if their team wins, they make a tough tackle or behave in a way that makes the online user feel entitled to vilify them.
