FIA News: FIA’s six point plan to stop online hate
The FIA has published a paper outlining a six-point plan for combatting the “existential threat” of online toxicity, and has shared the results of an AI trial conducted using its social media accounts and those of its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
A 14-page ‘white paper’ – a term introduced by the UK government that represents a primer on an issue combined with outlines of a policy on how to combat it – has been published by the FIA University initiative.
In it, motorsport’s governing body declares itself “the first major governing body of sport to provide a sustained and strategic response concerning this issue” and calls upon “all other sporting federations to join our campaign”.
“The FIA accepts that to assume such a leadership role, it must avoid mere virtue signalling, instead adopting an approach that will be understood as sustained, committed, and far-reaching,” the paper reads, while also stating the governing body is “no longer prepared to be passive on this issue”.
“The existential threat presented by online hate speech in motorsport, targeted at competitors, FIA personnel and officials, many of whom are volunteers, can no longer be ignored,” it adds, singling out the abuse and threats received by steward Silvia Bellot after Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix last year – a race in which then-Alpine driver Fernando Alonso received a controversial penalty that would be later overturned on appeal for procedural reasons.
The FIA’s “detailed six-point plan to address online hate” in racing is outlined as follows:
- Consulting a wide range of relevant individuals, institutions and agencies to offer an informed, evidence-based approach to the issue
- Working with other sporting bodies, athlete representatives and other policymakers – and, importantly, social media companies, to ensure an impact
- Launching a dedicated research center into online hate, staffed by post-doctoral researchers and with scholarships offered
- Maintaining a ‘relentless campaign to highlight the scourge of online hate on its valued personnel, officials and volunteers’ through all communication channels and media partners
- Recognizing that the undertaking will only be a success when meaningful change is delivered
- Using every opportunity to highlight the work being undertaken in this sphere, and working with the European Union and national governments
“Sustained online toxicity has reached deplorable levels,” said Ben Sulayem in light of the paper’s release.
“We will no longer tolerate FIA volunteers, officials, employees and drivers being subjected to this extreme abuse. It has no place in our sport and if it continues it could destroy it. We will take a collaborative approach in combatting this scourge on our sport and others.”
The FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “The release of our White Paper further underlines the FIA’s commitment to confronting online abuse. With the support of other sporting governing bodies, we are emboldened by a combined determination to bring about meaningful change through concrete action.
“Sustained online toxicity has reached deplorable levels. We will no longer tolerate FIA volunteers, officials, employees and drivers being subjected to this extreme abuse. It has no place in our sport and if it continues it could destroy it. We will take a collaborative approach in combatting this scourge on our sport and others.
“We want everyone, the teams, drivers, media and fans to play their part. Only through collaborative action, can we bring about behavioral change. We are united against abuse. This journey has only just begun.”
He added that the FIA’s aim is to ensure sport remains fully accessible and welcoming to all by promoting and safeguarding a respectful environment.
Jorge Viegas, President of Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), said: “The FIM is fully supportive of the FIA’s efforts in launching this campaign to drive out online abuse in sport. We will work together along with a number of other sports governing bodies to tackle abuse and harassment and create a safer environment for competitors and fans.”
Mike Riley, Managing Director, Professional Game Match Officials, said: “PGMOL is hugely supportive of the progressive steps taken by the FIA in addressing the issue of online abuse across the wider sport ecosystem – something we all feel strongly about. During recent discussions, we have together identified that common challenges are shared around the abuse of our officials, and we look forward to further collaboration with the FIA to bring about change for good.”
The FIA White Paper “A Strategic Response To Online Hate Speech In Sport” can be downloaded here.