OFCOM WARNS SOCIAL MEDIA FIRMS ON WORLD CUP ABUSE

Ofcom will actively monitor how platforms handle illegal hate speech during the tournament. The warning comes after England's men's team faced coordinated abuse during the 2021 European Championship, with similar incidents occurring at the women's Euros. Black and minority ethnic players have been disproportionately targeted in previous spike periods of online abuse. Ofcom has reminded companies of their legal obligations to remove illegal content and implement effective safeguards. The regulator's intervention reflects growing pressure on social media platforms to take responsibility for user-generated hate content. Companies including Meta, Twitter, TikTok, and others have committed to various measures in recent years, but enforcement remains inconsistent. Ofcom's monitoring during the World Cup will assess whether existing protocols are adequate and identify gaps in current responses to coordinated abuse campaigns.