Ofcom has warned social media companies about their responsibilities to protect people from online abuse during the World Cup. In letters to platforms, the UK regulator says it expects firms to have effective measures in place to mitigate illegal hate content and other harmful abuse that can increase during major sporting events. Ofcom says it will hold platforms to account if they fail to take appropriate steps to protect players and presenters during the tournament, and that it will monitor the actions companies take.
The warning follows prior tournaments in which participants reported spikes in abusive content. Ofcom points to experiences from the men’s 2021 European Championship and last year’s women’s Euros, including cases where abuse has targeted Black and minority ethnic players. Against that background, the regulator tells platforms they must be adequately prepared for higher levels of occurrence during the World Cup and to ensure their systems can respond effectively to illegal content.
