SOCIAL media has for so long been the champion of women in sport. It enables them to tell their stories and it allows supporters to have more of an insight into the personal life of their chosen role model.
In the right hands, social media is an absolute godsend for female athletes as it gives them a chance to create a following, in contrast to the very limited exposure most of them get on mainstream media.
Those with a strong following are more likely to gain interest from companies who want to ensure that when they invest, they get a good return for their money.
However, as we all probably recognise, social media also has a very negative, dark and sinister side to it when used by some of the anonymous and ignorant keyboard racists and sexists in our society today; and in their hands, this can be a powerful weapon that can destroy people.
Getting rid of these predators will not be easy as there doesn’t seem to be an appetite from the conglomerates who are responsible for these sites. Let’s be honest, if they have the knowledge and ability to put together a sophisticated social media platform, they must also be able to gain more knowledge on how to block, in an instant, those who abuse them.
Most athletes will receive social media training from their sports, on how to best use the site to gain as many followers as possible, as well as the downsides. However, I think that until they are targeted themselves, it can be a difficult for them to understand the disastrous impact it can have.
The move from the English FA, which has written to the big social media companies telling them their platforms are a “haven for abuse”, is a start. Let’s hope it gains momentum and that the other home nations and other sports get on board with this. There is definitely strength in numbers and the pressure that could be applied to instigate change could be too hard to ignore.
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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