The plans are in place for May 1 to May 3
The Premier League and its clubs are set to step up their efforts to fight racist abuse on social media by launching a blackout across all platforms.
The Daily Mail reports that the so-called ‘Weekend of Action’ is set to to take place from 1-3 May and will see Premier League teams go silent for 24 hours on their social media. The official Premier League account will stop all its interaction for the entire weekend, which includes the clash between rivals Liverpool and Manchester United.
Clubs have been invited to stop activity on their social media accounts from midnight to midnight on their game days that weekend. The plans are expected to be backed by the EFL, the FA and the Professional Footballers’ Association.
Clubs are being asked to confirm their support for the boycott by 2pm on Monday 19 April. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has reportedly been in conversation with the Premier League clubs, and a clear message will be sent out by the league and its clubs that they want to see action from platforms like Twitter and Instagram in tackling racist abuse online.
In an email to clubs on Friday, Masters wrote: “There would be no usual football content.
“Instead channels would be used to put pressure on the social media companies and drive awareness of the racist and other discriminatory abuse that we continue to see appear on the platforms.
“Players, ex-players and other prominent football personalities from all backgrounds continue to get abuse and are asking for, and deserve, football-wide support to highlight the irresponsibility of the social media platforms which protect the abusers.”
In recent weeks a number of players have received racist abuse on social media, including Tottenham star Heung-Min Son, with Tyrone Mings the latest player to join the list of those receiving disgusting abuse on Twitter.
Aston Villa is disgusted by the appalling racist abuse directed towards Tyrone Mings.
We condemn all forms of racial discrimination and will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Tyrone, who is an inspirational figure at the forefront of the fight against racism.
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 16, 2021
Swansea, Birmingham and Rangers have all already taken part in social media boycotts in protest against the racist abuse that is plaguing platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
An announcement on a Premier League-wide social media blackout could be due before Thursday.
