Stan Collymore accuses Twitter of inaction following attacks by internet trolls
Ex-footballer Stan Collymore has launched a scathing attack on the way Twitter handles reports of online abuse, accusing the social media giant of ‘not doing enough’ to combat racist, homophobic, sexist and other hate messages.The outburst followed a campaign of abuse directed at the former Liverpool star, following his suggestion that current Liverpool striker Luis Suarez dived for a penalty during a match on Saturday against Aston Villa. Since then Collymore has been threatened with murder and had racial slurs directed at him from anonymous Twitter users.Collymore, now a TalkSport pundit, wrote in several tweets: “In the last 24 hours I've been threatened with murder several times, demeaned on my race, and many of these accounts are still active. Why?"I accuse Twitter directly of not doing enough to combat racist/homophobic/sexist hate messages, all of which are illegal in the UK."Several Police forces have been fantastic. Twitter haven't. Dismayed."
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) January 22, 2014I accuse Twitter directly of not doing enough to combat racist/homophobic /sexist hate messages, all of which are illegal in the UK.
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) January 21, 2014
Dear @twitterUKThousand of UK citizens are fed up with hate speech and pictures demonising on race/religion/sexWill YOU do something?
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) January 21, 2014
A simple script/algorithm/verification protects everyone on here, and allows communication as in person.I think that is fair.#twitter
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) January 21, 2014
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said it had contacted Collymore to "… reassure him that we will carry out a thorough and detailed investigation”, adding: "Our investigation into previous alleged offences is continuing and we are currently liaising with Twitter to obtain subscriber details." As a rule, Twitter does not report on individual cases.