The Premier League is facing a surge in social media threats towards its players and their families, prompting a dedicated team to track down online trolls. The team is detailed in a new series titled “Why Do You Hate Me?” on BBC Radio 4, which explores extreme examples of online abuse. Exclusive access is given to the team, along with interviews with high-profile players targeted by opposing fans, and information on the men convicted of threatening them.
In one case, Neal Maupay, striker for Brighton, had just scored a winning goal. He found a series of abusive messages on his phone, along with one warning that his “loved ones may suffer”, and threatening to attack Maupay’s family. The abuse continued even after the individual’s account had been blocked.
The specialist team investigating these cases has proactively identified abusive messaging against players and monitors “trigger incidents” during matches such as a fouls, red cards, or goals being scored. Although most abuse occurs from outside the UK, investigators have successfully worked with overseas authorities to tackle convictions.
The Premier League has no power to deal directly with content that breaches social media guidelines, but offers information from their investigations to assist the social platforms. The team’s work has also opened it up to criticism that officials are engaged in censorship; however, the team argues that it is targeting criminal behaviour and “stuff that’s really horrible and shouldn’t have any place online”.
The series highlights the complexity of the issue of online abuse, with accountability for the trolls, social media companies, and society in general all identified as possible solutions
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