The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Posh to back a social media blackout in protest at racism
Posh will join a boycott of social media in protest at the racist abuse thrown at professional footballers.
All EFL and Premier League clubs are discussing the matter following the decisions of Championship clubs Swansea City, Birmingham City and Scottish Premier League champions Rangers to stay off Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for seven days.
A seven-day countrywide blackout could be imposed by all clubs next week according to Posh co-owner Darragh MacAnthony.
MacAnthony, speaking on the latest edition of his popular ‘Hard Truth’ podcast, said: “I feel for the players. For them to suffer such horrific abuse in this day and age is simply unbelievable.
“There is talk of a social media blackout and we will sign up for it. It’s probably going to happen next week, but sadly the likes of Jack Dorsey (Twitter CEO) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) won’t give two hoots. They should be doing more to stop the root cause of the abuse.
“The other day (American politician) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suffered some criticism on social media and one of the guys who delivered it soon had the police knocking his door.
“Who gave the police the man’s details?
“And yet the details of the animals and the scumbags who abuse our sportsmen are hidden.
“I can’t stand ‘Big Tech’. “They can interfere in politics and help win elections, but they can’t do more to end this awful racism towards sports stars?
“It would be the easiest thing in the world for filters to be in place to locate certain words and for action to be taken.
“‘Big tech’ could stop the abuse in an instant, but they won’t.”
Former Posh striker Ivan Toney has suffered shocking racist abuse on more than open occasion this season.
Toney, who is now with Championship club Brentford, said ‘honestly I’m done,’
after a racist message was left on his Instagram account earlier this month.
Brentford condemned the abuse as ‘spineless’ before Instagram removed the anonymous account.
The FA have confirmed they would consider
joining the social media blackout.
An FA spokesman said: “We fully support any club or player that wishes to take a stand against any form of discrimination in a respectful manner, including the boycott of social media platforms.
“We are in regular dialogue with other English football authorities and, if it is felt collectively that a boycott of social media platforms would achieve the desired effect in leading to tangible change, it is something we would consider.”