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April 15, 2022
Legendary Scottish former footballer, James McFadden, has joined telecomm leader BT’s Hope United program in their efforts to educate youth on digital skills to address the dangers of online hate. Research commissioned by BT revealed that 1 in 10 people were victims of online abuse in 2021.
Launched last year, the Hope United initiative encompasses a diverse team of female and male footballers from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Drawn together by their own experiences with online hate and bullying, the players are advocating for more support for change and educating people on how to protect themselves and be good digital citizens.
McFadden has been alarmed at the high-profile incidents of online abuse that Scotland’s footballers have suffered and thinks initiatives like Hope United can help to address the problem. During a roadshow in Edinburgh, Scotland this week with non-profit Cybersmile and the Scottish Football Association (SFA), the former Motherwell and Everton player put on a football masterclass for children. The Hope United ambassador gave a lesson on the importance of being responsible and respectful online. The roadshow also provided resources to help educate on online hate and the importance of digital self-care.
“This is educating the younger generation about how to be safe online, how to be aware of what constitutes abuse and what to do when you see it,” McFadden said. “It is vital. We read and see the incidents of online abuse which are at the forefront of the media, but it’s the stuff that we can’t see, that is going on with kids particularly, that is really worrying.”
Hope United is first and foremost about safeguarding youth and children. It works to educate them about the importance of social media and its ability to be a tool for good. “Raising the awareness of what is acceptable, what is unacceptable and how to deal with it is crucial. It is about trying to educate the younger generation,” McFadden continued.
Last year, SFA and Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Women’s Football and PFA Scotland united to support a boycott of social media in response to continuing racist and discriminatory abuse online aimed at players, staff, supporters and others associated with the game.
In January, a Stenhousemuir FC player in a Scottish Women’s Cup match received online abuse and misogynistic commentary. Scottish Women’s Football boss Aileen Campbell condemned the posts and asked for a “change in culture”.
“It’s unacceptable. It impacts on player welfare, player wellbeing. It’s not what we want the sport to be about. We all do our best to try and encourage more women and girls to get active, to enjoy sport and yet we continue to face these same comments online from people who seem to be very, very brave behind a keyboard. It’s not right.”
BT’s sponsorship ambition is to unite the four Home Nations by supporting and improving the lives of millions of players, coaches and fans, with one of the largest ever footballing programmes for the UK.
Source: The National
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