Online abuse is having a significant impact on the ability of sportspeople and pundits to do their jobs, live their lives and express themselves, according to research published by Ofcom.As part of Ofcom’s work to implement the UK’s Online Safety Act, the regulator will produce a Code of Practice on how certain ‘categorised’ services can comply with duties to offer adults tools that help users manage the content they see. These user empowerment duties were, in part, influenced by the abuse and hate experienced by people in the public eye, including sports professionals. Ofcom teamed up with Kick It Out – the anti-discrimination body in sport – to hear directly from people working in sport who have suffered online hate and abuse.This is part of a broader programme of work to better understand the lived experience of groups and individuals who have been particularly impacted by online harm.For many who work in sport, an online presence is not just a necessary part of their job, but vital for their career, explained Ofcom. They can connect with fans, keep up with discussions, and build a public profile that can lead to opportunities like sponsorship deals. But this can come at a cost.Sportspeople and commentators Ofcom spoke to recognised the inevitability of receiving criticism as figures with a public profile, but said that online abuse had become more common, sophisticated and normalised, and bleeds into their offline lives, impacting their families and friends.Some said they were now more careful about when they went out and even felt the need to barricade themselves inside for fear of who they might meet outside. Others have received direct threats to them or family members.One person told Ofcom, anonymously: “I was very, very scared, I didn’t leave my house for a week because the impact of online abuse. And then the media writes about it and then it becomes this sort of overwhelming feeling of just dread that so many people are saying such horrible things about you, without you actually having done anything.”Others Ofcom spoke to said that online hate affects their ability to do their jobs, influences career choices and limits what they feel able to say online and on-screen. Some potential pundits have actively chosen not to apply for on-screen roles due to fears about potential online abuse.Presenters told Ofcom they sometimes found themselves self-censoring to try and avoid too much online hate and abuse, while sportspeople said that online hate and abuse had the potential to undermine their confidence, affecting their performance. Some have come off social media entirely or reduced their online presence by not actively posting content, jeopardising potential career opportunities.Some of the online abuse people experience is illegal under UK law, such as some types of threatening or abusive behaviour and harassment. In March, duties came into force under the Online Safety Act that mean platforms must assess the risk of UK users encountering illegal material and use appropriate measures to protect them from it.However, much of the abuse people experience online is not illegal under UK laws. In due course, some platforms will be subject to additional duties under the Act, such as providing adult users with features that enable them to reduce the likelihood of encountering certain types of abusive and hateful content.The people that Ofcom spoke to who work in sport said they wanted platforms to enforce their terms of service and that the tools available today, such as blocking or muting, do not go far enough to help protect them and their families and friends against online hate and abuse.Jessica Zucker, Online Safety Director at Ofcom, said: “So many people who work in sport are subjected to vile abuse online. This is having a devastating impact on them, their livelihoods and their families, and no-one should have to put up with it. The UK’s new online safety laws mean tech firms now have to start protecting people on their sites and apps from illegal forms of abuse. And when all the rules are fully in force, some of the largest social media platforms will have to give users more control over what they see online. People with lived experience of harm online are at the heart of the rules we make and the action we take. We’ll be pushing companies hard to make their services safer by design, and holding them to account if they don’t.”Sanjay Bhandari, Kick It Out Chair, added: “The impact of online abuse is undeniable, and the rise in discriminatory social media reports to Kick It Out last season shows it’s getting worse. Time and again, players and others across the game tell us about the mental toll this abuse takes, and we welcome this new report, which highlights just how deep that impact runs. This isn’t about a few hateful comments. It’s about a culture of abuse that has become normalised. It’s about a social media ecosystem that too often enables and amplifies abuse. And it’s about victims who feel imprisoned by that culture of abuse. It’s vital that we see social media companies step up with meaningful tools that give users real control over what they see and experience online. They can do it now if they choose. But if not, Ofcom has a critical role to play in holding platforms to account through strong, consistent enforcement.”
© 2001-2025. Advanced Television.