Henry said the “sheer volume of racism” on social media is “too toxic to ignore”
Premier League legend Thierry Henry has quit social media until the “people in power” regulate their online platforms and start to tackle the issue of racial abuse online.
On Friday, Henry posted a saddening statement across his social media channels, which have millions of followers.
He said: “From tomorrow morning I will be removing myself from social media until the people in power are able to regulate their platforms with the same vigour and ferocity that they currently do when you infringe copyright.
“The sheer volume of racism, bullying and resulting mental torture to individuals is too toxic to ignore. There HAS to be some accountability.
“It is far too easy to create an account, use it to bully and harass without consequence and still remain anonymous. Until this changes, I will be disabling my accounts across all social platforms.
“I’m hoping this happens soon,” he added.
The striking star appeared on Good Morning Britain this morning to discuss his decision to quit social media.
Thierry Henry tells @susannareid100 and Ben about his decision to quit social media.
He is calling for social media sites to be 'safer' and that it's not enough for social media companies to shut down accounts.
Thierry says people should be required to enter a form of identity' pic.twitter.com/fa3oRVf5ZF
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 29, 2021
He told GMB hosts: “It’s not a safe place at the minute. People are getting racially abused.”
Referring to his statement, he said: “I talk also about bullying and harassment that can cause mental issues. People commit suicide because of it.”
Henry said that he appreciates it is very difficult to eradicate all of the problems surrounding social media and bullying, however he called for the online platforms to be made “safer.”
The French forward suggested that people should be required to prove their identity when registering for an account, in the hope that this would make people have “accountability” for their actions online.
