PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are set to agree a social media boycott, according to reports.
Top-flight teams want to send a message that racism will not be tolerated and will launch a war against online hate.
According to Daily Mail, teams are planning to go silent on social media for 24 hours either side of their game on the ‘Weekend of Action’ between May 1-3.
And the report adds that the Premier League will also boycott social media for the duration of the round of fixtures.
Clubs have been asked to confirm their support for the plans by 2pm on Monday 19 April, the report states.
The move is a bid to ramp up pressure on social platforms to act against online hate and abuse after a spate of recent incidents.
It comes after Swansea ditched social media for a week in a self-imposed seven-day exile.
Rangers also followed suit in Scotland with a boycott of their own.
Thierry Henry last month told SunSport’s Troy Deeney why he quit social media.
The Arsenal legend shut down his accounts to take a stand against online abuse.
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Henry explained: “Even if you have two million comments that are great, if you have one or two or three that aren’t, it has an impact on you.
“I’m a man, I’m 43, but I’m still trying to figure out what kind of person I can be.
“So just imagine when you are a kid and what it can do to your mental health.
“The sheer pressure of not being on Instagram or Twitter or whatever is second to none for kids.
“I’m always going to fight for my community and my sport. Being black and in football, I’ve seen too many people suffer.
“But let’s not forget about the rest. That’s why I mentioned bullying and harassment and the impact it can have on you mentally.
“People go to the extent of committing suicide. Not only black people are getting abuse on social media, not only football players.”
The France legend added: “There is freedom of speech. But you can’t shout whatever you want in an airport, a cinema, a police station. This is my point: accountability.
“Wilfried Zaha got abused and we find out after that the kid is 12 years old. How do you have an account? How can we not know who you are behind that account?”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
