English football begins four-day social media boycott over abuse

Social media silence by football leagues, clubs and players in England in protest against online racist abuse.

Football clubs and players in the United Kingdom have begun a four-day boycott of social media to protest against online racist abuse and to call on social media companies to do more to police their platforms. There was initially a joint boycott announcement by the English Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, Women’s Super League, Women’s Championship as well as player, manager and referee bodies, anti-discrimination group Kick It Out and the Women In Football group. Ahead of the boycott beginning at 14:00 GMT on Friday until 22:59 GMT on Monday, other English sports including cricket, rugby, tennis and horse racing said they would fall silent on social media.