ESFA will join other big players in English football in a social media boycott from 3pm on Friday 30 April until 11:59pm on Monday 3 May
The statement sent to Membership from the ESFA reads:
You may be aware of the social media boycott proposed to take place across the footballing landscape from the 30th April – 3rd May. Along with organisations such as The Premier League, who inspired the boycott with their ‘No room for racism’ campaign, the FA, PFA and PGMOL, the ESFA will also be taking a stand and not using its social media channels from 3pm on 30 April until after midnight on 3rd May.
The aim of the boycott is to try and raise awareness of the issues surrounding the tackling of online abuse and to highlight the preventative measures that need to be taken by social media platforms to turn their apps into hostile environments for internet trolls, not for those users who, wrongly, are targets for discrimination.
We all know that this type of discrimination and bullying is sadly rife within the professional game as well as right across the world of football. The ESFA, as an organisation centred around children, will take the opportunity to support this movement in the hope that it may help to educate our young people and incite them to take a stand against toxic behaviour online and stand together, united as part of the football community to create change.
We would like to invite those of you who use social media platforms to represent Associations, to join us as part of this movement and to allow us to appear united as the Governing Body for Schools’ Football.
Many thanks for your support.
The National Governing Body for Schools’ Football in England.