FIFA presents plan to combat hate speech on social media

The International Football Association Board (FIFA) published yesterday a report showing the increase in the number of insults against football players on social media during international competitions, and presented a plan to combat it.

The International Federation stated in a press statement that five months before the start of the World Cup in Qatar (November 21 - December 18), it will work with the Professional Players Association "FIFPro", "to coordinate and implement a plan on how to protect teams, players, referees and fans from the insults that It spreads on social media during the international competition.”

The new report, published in conjunction with the United Nations International Day to Combat Hate Speech, which used artificial intelligence to track more than 400,000 posts on social media platforms during the semi-finals and finals of two international competitions (the European Cup last summer and the African Cup of Nations earlier this year), shows that more than 50% of players have received some form of discriminatory abuse, much of it from their own countrymen.” The statement added that racially discriminatory comments made up the majority of those abuses.

"In response, FIFA and Fifpro will launch a dedicated software service in men's and women's tournaments related to moderation. The service scans hate speech posted on identified social media accounts and, once detected, hides it from offended players and their followers. The abuser remains visible to those who published it and to his followers, but its spread and visibility decreases significantly.

"It is our duty to protect football, and that starts with protecting the players who bring so much joy and happiness to all of us by playing football," said Swiss-Italian FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

"Unfortunately, there is a growing trend of unacceptable comments directed at players, coaches, match officials and teams on social media channels, and this form of discrimination, like any other form of discrimination, has no place in football."

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news