Football Unites Against Online Abuse: Four-Day Social Media Boycott Planned

Strategic Insights -

The world of English professional football will band together for a unprecedented four-day social media boycott to protest against the continued abuse and racism aimed at players. From 3pm on Friday 30 April to 11.59pm on Monday 3 May, clubs in the English Premier League, English Football League, Women's Super League, and Women's Championship will switch off their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, demanding action from tech companies to tackle online abuse.

This move comes after a series of high-profile online racist attacks, including the targeting of Liverpool players Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keïta, and Sadio Mané. Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings revealed he had been targeted with a racist message from an Instagram user, posting a screenshot on his Twitter account. The boycott is also motivated by frustration over the response of social media platforms to online racism.

Key Takeaways:

  • The social media boycott will involve clubs in the English Premier League, English Football League, Women's Super League, and Women's Championship, covering a full fixture programme from 3pm on Friday 30 April to 11.59pm on Monday 3 May.
  • The boycott is in response to "the ongoing and sustained discriminatory abuse" of footballers, including high-profile incidents targeting Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keïta, Sadio Mané, and Tyrone Mings.
  • A joint statement from football bodies, including the FA and the four leagues involved, has reiterated demands for social media companies to block or quickly remove offensive posts, improve verification of accounts, and offer active assistance for police to identify and prosecute originators of abusive content.
  • The boycott is significantly broader in scale and ambition than the #Enough campaign, which saw a 24-hour social media boycott in 2020.
  • Social media platforms have become a central way for players to interact with fans, with some footballers' accounts holding millions of followers, such as Raheem Sterling's 2.7 million Twitter followers.
  • The boycott is also motivated by exasperation over the response of social media platforms to online racism, with abuse seemingly directed towards players after every significant incident they are involved in.

Statistics:

  • The boycott will involve over 40 professional football clubs across the English Premier League, English Football League, Women's Super League, and Women's Championship.
  • The boycott will cover a total of 20 matches in the men's Premier League and 10 matches in the Women's Super League.
  • The #Enough campaign in 2020 saw a 24-hour social media boycott, but the new boycott is significantly broader in scale and ambition.
  • Over 2.7 million fans follow Raheem Sterling on Twitter, one of the largest followings among footballers.

Sources:

  • The Guardian
  • BBC Sport
  • The Telegraph
  • FA official statement
  • PFA official statement
  • Kick It Out official statement
  • Football Supporters' Association official statement