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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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!’

In practical terms, I think the only way to force social media platforms to be more pro-active in stopping abuse is for people, the media and organisations to stop using them. A user strike would grab the attention of these companies pretty quickly. It would affect their reputation, their advertising, their revenue and their share prices. I don't see how laws in one or a few countries would have the same impact. It's a global business and difficult to control.

Sadly, I suspect racism is endemic, not just in the UK but worldwide. Time and education can be helpful but there are those who cling to their stereotypes and enjoy abusing people. It is illegal. Identify and prosecute is the normal course so social media should not be an exception.

Football supporters are like most large groups of people; the good, the bad and the ugly. Sadly, when aroused, the extremes are more audible and visible.

Oh what I mean is that both Johnson and Patel and their behaviour are not the sort of role models one would expect from those at the top. Nothing they have ever said has strongly condemned the racial abuse nor accepted the right for the young English lions to denounce racism in their own way by taking the knee.

Until we have a leader whose moral compass is recognised as decent and upright by our citizens we will continue to have such worms who spout hate and abuse.

In that case WWM2 I don’t understand your remark that nothing will change until those at the top are changed.

25Avalon

What about the new bill underway at the moment? Some issues are cross party.

We are talking about two different things.

What about the new bill underway at the moment? Some issues are cross party.

Nothing will change until those at the top are changed.

It takes on average 7 years before a child victim tells someone about abuse.

Football can and does ban abusers for life if they can identify them. The abuse of children and young people is the most concerning as it can ruin young vulnerable lives with the victims not speaking out because they are too scared, blame themselves, are embarrassed etc.

And yet even on here, people get into a terrible tizzy when there is a disagreement, let alone the things that have been said about the footballers.

growstuff

Chestnut

Online death threats and abuse are something that adults can and should choose to switch off and ignore. There are so many ignorant and nasty people spreading their poison, it's not something you should allow yourself to get upset about, and I know celebrities have learned to ignore the many insults they receive.

What concerns me much more are the children and young teenagers who are groomed and abused, told to send naked pictures and give out personal information, all sorts of dreadful things. They are too young to handle it or know better. That is far more concerning than some idiot posting stupid ignorant comments.

Have you actually seen any of the "stupid ignorant" comments posted about the black English footballers? They are more than stupid and ignorant. They are some of the vilest I've seen on social media. One of the posters works (worked?) for Savills, the estate agents and I sincerely hope he is sacked and is prosecuted because his posts must come under the heading of hate speech.

Obviously it is vile and hateful, but it's still the abuse of children and young teenagers that upsets me most. Adults can ignore this stuff because the perpetrators are ignorant fools and they should know better than to let anyone like that affect them at all. Children are so much more vulnerable.

If you wish to publish a letter in a Newspaper you have to leave your name and address, either at the bottom of the letter, or if you want to remain anonymous to the public, with the editorial staff. It should be exactly the same with social media organisations. I am a huge believer in free speech but not free abuse. This would certainly reduce these cowards’ pathetic actions.

AmberSpyglass

People have a right to be anonymous on social media. What they don’t have is a right to express racist views and platforms have to crack down on this. And let’s not pretend it’s a social media problem - it’s a society problem.

And a worldwide problem.

MissAdventure

Of course.
We already know what he is; may as well add liar, too.

Ah, the Grant Shapps/Michael Green defence.

Of course.
We already know what he is; may as well add liar, too.

MissAdventure

The employee (a manager) has been suspended.
He is claiming his account was hacked.

He would say that wouldn’t he.

I use a nom de plume on GN but GN knows who I am and can contact me. If FB, Twitter etc. did the same there would be far less abuse, racism and trolling.

The employee (a manager) has been suspended.
He is claiming his account was hacked.

Chestnut

Online death threats and abuse are something that adults can and should choose to switch off and ignore. There are so many ignorant and nasty people spreading their poison, it's not something you should allow yourself to get upset about, and I know celebrities have learned to ignore the many insults they receive.

What concerns me much more are the children and young teenagers who are groomed and abused, told to send naked pictures and give out personal information, all sorts of dreadful things. They are too young to handle it or know better. That is far more concerning than some idiot posting stupid ignorant comments.

Have you actually seen any of the "stupid ignorant" comments posted about the black English footballers? They are more than stupid and ignorant. They are some of the vilest I've seen on social media. One of the posters works (worked?) for Savills, the estate agents and I sincerely hope he is sacked and is prosecuted because his posts must come under the heading of hate speech.