Premier League’s Anti-Troll Unit: Safeguarding Players from Online Threats
In recent years, the Premier League has witnessed a concerning rise in social media threats and abuse directed towards its players and their families. To combat this issue, the league has established a dedicated team tasked with hunting down online trolls. In an exclusive series by the BBC, the team grants access to their operations, speaks to a targeted player, and even tracks down the individual responsible for threatening him.
Neal Maupay, a striker for Brentford, found himself at the center of a torrent of abusive messages after scoring a last-minute winner against Arsenal in June 2020. Despite issuing an apology for unintentionally injuring Arsenal’s goalkeeper during the game, Maupay was inundated with hateful comments and threats. Concerned for his safety, he reached out to the Premier League’s troll-busting team for help.
The rise of social media has provided a platform for individuals to hurl abuse at players from all corners of the world, targeting them with racism, misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia. The team led by Tim Cooper responds to reports from players, officials, and others involved in the sport. They actively monitor matches for “trigger incidents” such as fouls or goals, alerting authorities when necessary.
Cooper’s team, which has grown to seven members since its inception in 2019, receives between 50 to 100 reports about players every week. They also extend their support to women footballers. The team collaborates closely with social media platforms to identify and tackle abusive content. They feed information about trolls’ tactics back to the platforms, contributing to overall improvements in online safety.
One significant case handled by the team involved Neal Maupay. Upon investigating, they discovered that the abusive messages had originated from a 19-year-old Arsenal fan based in Singapore named Derek Ng De Ren. Ng blamed Maupay for his team’s loss and sent threatening messages to the player. In a groundbreaking move, the Premier League successfully worked with authorities overseas to secure Ng’s conviction for harassment.
The Premier League’s troll-busting team aims to send a strong message that no matter where abuse originates, they will take action to hold individuals accountable. While some critics argue that the league is infringing on free speech, Cooper emphasizes that they are primarily targeting “really nasty abuse” that crosses into criminal territory. The team’s work extends beyond players themselves, as they also investigate discriminatory comments made by fans.
For Maupay, seeing Ng face the consequences of his actions provided some comfort. However, he admits that forgiveness is a complex issue. He is open to hearing Ng’s thoughts and understanding his perspective. Ultimately, the responsibility for combating online abuse falls on multiple parties, including trolls themselves, social media companies, authorities, and society as a whole.
The case of Neal Maupay highlights the severity of online abuse faced by Premier League players. While the league’s troll-busting unit is making significant strides in combating this issue, the solution lies in a collective effort to address harmful behavior online. By holding individuals accountable, improving social media platforms, and fostering a more responsible online culture, we can create a safer environment for players and tackle the pervasive issue of online hate.