MANCHESTER, England (Dispatches) - The online racial abuse of English footballers led UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to meet with social media companies on Tuesday, but while the focus is on the industry taking action, experts have warned the global nature of the problem makes it difficult to take legal steps against the perpetrators.
Experts in the field of online abuse point to the problem of fake accounts, while an online threat and intelligence specialist said there is a potential risk of a strategic, targeted campaign designed to damage the United Kingdom’s social cohesion and reputation.
Twitter and Instagram have declined to discuss the location of those accounts they have banned in relation to the fallout from Sunday’s Euro 2020 final, following which three Black England players, who missed penalties in their shootout defeat to Italy, received online racist abuse.