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Isn’t it time social media was brought under control - dreadful abuse after England football defeat.

(233 Posts)
25Avalon Mon 12-Jul-21 09:26:25

Following England’s narrow defeat yesterday evening Rashford, Sancho and Saka were subjected to dreadful racist abuse on social media yesterday evening. This is happening in all walks of life where cowardly people go online to vent their spleen anonymously on others. Isn’t it time something was done to bring social media under control?

lemongrove Mon 12-Jul-21 19:54:16

Johnson has just strongly condemned the lowlife that are directing racial abuse at the black football players on national tv, ending with ‘I hope they crawl back under the stone from whence they came!’

Whitewavemark2 Mon 12-Jul-21 19:54:45

Stoking the hatred with terms like “gesture politics” when describing the young lions

Whitewavemark2 Mon 12-Jul-21 19:56:08

lemongrove

Johnson has just strongly condemned the lowlife that are directing racial abuse at the black football players on national tv, ending with ‘I hope they crawl back under the stone from whence they came!’

Of course he did. But that doesn’t mitigate his previous statements about the young lions, nor his racist statements over the years.

Cunco Mon 12-Jul-21 19:57:01

By the way, Boris Johnson has condemned appalling racist abuse of England players.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/euro-2020-england-racism-boris-johnson-b1882366.html

The prime minister said people responsible for the "appalling" abuse, which is being investigated by the police, "should be ashamed of themselves".

lemongrove Mon 12-Jul-21 20:06:05

Racist statements?
You mean the journalist pieces he wrote about Muslim women having the right to wear what they like, even if they look like letter boxes I presume.
He has a right to like/ not like the so called gesture politics of taking the knee, just as we all have.He didn’t attempt to stop the England team doing it or comment negatively on it to my knowledge.He has come out very strongly on the racist abuse online aimed at the players today.

Elleee Mon 12-Jul-21 20:14:46

For me, this tweet from Tyrone Ming's says it all and I agree with every word

GagaJo Mon 12-Jul-21 20:15:27

25Avalon

GillT57 stop hijacking my thread please. I don’t agree with taking the knee but that does not make me a racist. This thread is about all online abuse not just the vile racist remarks directed at our three young footballers. How do we stop people posting any kind of abuse on social media?

Taking the knee is a visible symbol of equality and non partisan democracy. It is particulary needed in football.

Lin52 Mon 12-Jul-21 20:17:27

See all the pundits are throwing the blame at Johnson, well of course they will. They blame everyone but the people who are to blame, the so called fans, have have bred among themselves the racial hatred, which has been going on much longer than Johnson has been PM.

GagaJo Mon 12-Jul-21 20:24:39

Look at what happened in the US as a result of Trump. This behaviour is seen as acceptable when a leader engages in it.

lemongrove Mon 12-Jul-21 20:24:49

Very true Lins racist abuse of players has been going on for a very long time and in many European countries.
Johnson has faults, but he has come out hard against these disgraceful tweets.

25Avalon Mon 12-Jul-21 21:05:35

GagaJo I didn’t want to talk about football and the dreadful abusive tweets per se but about all forms of abuse and grooming which is happening on social media and what can be done about it. How can we protect young people?

Infinity2 Mon 12-Jul-21 21:10:05

I’m in favour of free speech, if people can debate controversial issues in a reasonable and civilised manner. The art of debate seems well and truly dead nowadays.
As to those who just use social media to abuse and insult other people, they fail to see that the only person they are actually humiliating is themselves by letting the world see how ignorant and moronic they really are.
With regard to the young men who tried and failed to score last night - they stood up to the plate and did their best, and anyone with a brain should be proud of them for that.

25Avalon Mon 12-Jul-21 21:21:26

Trouble is Infinity the world can’t see who makes abusive remarks on social media.

Cunco Mon 12-Jul-21 21:31:20

25Avalon: As I wrote earlier, I think the way to influence social media is for people, organisations etc. to stop using the channels that allow abuse. It is simple and probably more effective than other options, at least in the short term, but a solution that, sadly, most will not accept.

As it happens, I would not take the knee either. I think there are better ways to make a gesture of togetherness. I would not support 'Black Lives Matter' either; but I would (and indeed have) supported 'Kick It Out'. To me, it makes sense to unify all of us against racism rather than define which gestures we must adopt. When Michael Holding says on the Sky Sports advert, 'we're all in', it is inclusive, not exclusive, and can appeal to all. It certainly appeals more to me.

25Avalon Mon 12-Jul-21 21:39:59

Cunco at last someone who feels the same way in your second paragraph. Kick it Out isn’t just about racism but about all discrimination. And my thread is about all abuse as well.

Galaxy Mon 12-Jul-21 21:50:03

No one is asking people to take the knee, they are asking not to boo those who do. It's just utterly disrespectful.

Elleee Mon 12-Jul-21 21:59:53

Lin52, Tyrone Mings isn't a pundit, he actually plays for England and he is black
I would imagine that he knows what he is talking about
The excuses on here, the justification for the Government not condemning booing the England team 'taking the knee' is indefensible

Cunco Mon 12-Jul-21 22:02:18

I agree that people should not boo those who take the knee.

I disagree that people have not felt pressure to take the knee although I think now there is a wider range of acceptable alternatives. Sadly, I do not think any of them will have a great influence on those who abuse.

25Avalon Mon 12-Jul-21 22:18:46

Can we get back to social media please? We’ve done taking the knee on other threads. I reiterate I am concerned with all abuse on social media and what came be done about it particularly for our children and youngsters who live in a social media world.

Luckygirl Mon 12-Jul-21 22:20:22

Everything about it gives me the creeps, not just the fans' misbehaviour and the racist abuse, but the ill-mannered behaviour of the players who removed their runners-up medals as soon as they were put on - how rude is that?

Cunco Mon 12-Jul-21 22:30:05

25 Avalon: Fair enough. Actually, I did post a thread on the impact of Social Media a few weeks ago. Several people share our concerns but I don't recall any break-through solutions. We all want the platforms to monitor and identify abusers but the question remains on how to do it effectively. There is also the issue of children seeing things that are not good for them on the internet but again, no easy solutions.

25Avalon Mon 12-Jul-21 22:32:05

Cunco I am off to bed now. I will look your thread up in the morning.

JdotJ Tue 13-Jul-21 10:37:39

Most definitely. I've thought this for a long time. The Internet has possibly become the worst invention in the world. Social Media has exploded with ever more nastiness spewing from it, with what appears to be very little regulation.

mphammersley Tue 13-Jul-21 10:39:22

Unfortunately you cannot change the way some people think, feel and voice their prejudice, but you can take away the platforms they use. Yes social media companies need to take a stand and be accountable.

Sheilasue Tue 13-Jul-21 10:39:58

Yes I have a mixed culture gd and she is disgusted. She’s even
Deleted some of her cousins off her phone. So angry that these young man are treated like that.