Bradford City will join friends and colleagues across English football in a boycott of all social media activity next week - in an attempt to put an end to online abuse.
Beginning from 3.00pm on Friday April 30 and running until 11.59pm on Monday May 3, the movement will be backed by clubs in the Premier League, EFL and FA Women’s Super League and Championship - in addition to PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out and the FSA.
This has been scheduled to take place across a full fixture programme in the men’s and women’s professional game and will see organisations ‘switch off’ their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, posting no content between the aforementioned times whatsoever in response to the ongoing and sustained discriminatory abuse received online by players and many others connected to football.
As a collective, the game recognises the considerable reach and value of social media to our sport. The connectivity and access to supporters who are at the heart of football remains vital.
However, the boycott represents English football coming together to emphasise the argument that social media companies must do more to eradicate online hate, while highlighting the importance of educating people in the ongoing fight against discrimination.
Boycott action from football in isolation will, of course, not eradicate the scourge of online discriminatory abuse, but it will demonstrate that the game is willing to take voluntary and proactive steps in this continued fight.
In order to keep supporters informed, engaged and updated with the Bantams’ activity over the course of next weekend, the club will be posting an increased amount of content on its official website.
This will also consider City’s annual memorial fixture - against Scunthorpe United next Saturday (May 1) - for which virtual tickets can be purchased by CLICKING HERE.