Football teams, players, celebrities, and a host of sports bodies have launched a four-day social media boycott in an effort to combat bullying and bigotry on their sites. It started at 15:00 BST on Friday and will finish at 23:59 BST on Monday.
The “display of unity against online bullying” aims to persuade businesses to take a firmer stand against racial and sexist abuse by consumers.
The movement has also included representatives from the rugby union, cricket, and rugby league.
Prior to the four-day silence, the Premier League sent a statement that it will continue to challenge businesses “until racist online bullying is eliminated from our game and broader society.”
“We know that a boycott alone will not eradicate this, which is why we will continue to take proactive steps to call for change,” the statement followed.
A group of players issued a statement just before the boycott started, and football clubs’ Twitter feed logos were replaced by a blacked-out version of their logo.
We are switching off our social media channels from 3pm on Friday 30 April, until 23:59pm on Monday 3 May, in response to sustained and ongoing online abuse.#Enough | #StopOnlineAbuse pic.twitter.com/toiIg3FfWW
— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) April 30, 2021
Kalvin Phillips, a Leeds United midfielder, wrote:
“Disappointed that we even have to be doing this. Social media should be a safe space for everyone.
“I really hope main platforms make it a priority to eradicate online abuse from their system. It’s already a problem in society, let’s do more to stop it online as well.”
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) April 30, 2021
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) April 30, 2021
