The FA have announced that it will join other football organisations in a 'social media boycott' next weekend.
'We will join the Premier League, EFL, PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out, Women in Football and the FSA in uniting for a social media boycott from 3pm on Friday 30 April to 11.59pm on Monday 3 May, in response to the ongoing and sustained discriminatory abuse received online by players and many others connected to football.
This has been scheduled to take place across a full fixture programme in the men’s and women’s professional game and will see clubs across the Premier League, EFL, Barclays FA Women's Super League and Women’s Championship switch off their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
As a collective, the game recognises the considerable reach and value of social media to our sport. The connectivity and access to supporters who are at the heart of football remains vital.
However, the boycott shows English football coming together to emphasise that social media companies must do more to eradicate online hate, while highlighting the importance of educating people in the ongoing fight against discrimination.
In our letter of February 2021, English football outlined its requests of social media companies, urging filtering, blocking and swift takedowns of offensive posts, an improved verification process and re-registration prevention, plus active assistance for law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute originators of illegal content. While some progress has been made, we reiterate those requests today in an effort to stem the relentless flow of discriminatory messages and ensure that there are real-life consequences for purveyors of online abuse across all platforms.
Boycott action from football in isolation will, of course, not eradicate the scourge of online discriminatory abuse, but it will demonstrate that the game is willing to take voluntary and proactive steps in this continued fight.
Finally, while football takes a stand, we urge the UK Government to
ensure its Online Safety Bill will bring in strong legislation to make
social media companies more accountable for what happens on their
platforms, as discussed at the DCMS Online Abuse roundtable earlier this
week.
Edleen John, our director of international relations, corporate affairs
and co-partner for equality, diversity and inclusion, said: "It’s simply
unacceptable that people across English football and society continue
to be subjected to discriminatory abuse online on a daily basis, with no
real-world consequences for perpetrators.
"This needs to change quickly, and we continue to urge social media
companies to act now to address this. We will not stop talking about
this issue and will continue to work with government in ensuring that
the Online Safety Bill gives sufficient regulatory and supervisory
powers to Ofcom. Social media companies need to be held accountable if
they continue to fall short of their moral and social responsibilities
to address this endemic problem.
"We have recently seen how powerful it can be when everybody is united
for the good of the English game. We are calling on organisations and
individuals across the game to join us in a temporary boycott of these
social media platforms, to show solidarity and unite in the message that
English football will not tolerate discrimination in any form."