A significant milestone in the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile’s mission to drive out online abuse in motorsports was reached today (2nd March 2023) with the launch of a White Paper on an issue that has become a blight on global sport.
The White Paper reveals that across the European Union (EU) some 80% of people surveyed had encountered some form of online hate, with 40% of respondents claiming that they had been either left frightened or threatened by postings they had read online.
It also reports that the FIA will invest significant funding to support research via the FIA University and become the first governing body of sport to launch its own, dedicated research centre into online hate. It will appoint leading researchers to support its work.
In terms of addressing the issues on FIA platforms, the White Paper states that after 5 months of its collaboration with Arwen.ai, the number of toxic comments being posted on the FIA’s social media profiles has reduced by 66.6%.
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 the European Commission and 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 behavioural change. We are united against abuse. This journey has only just begun.”
Read the full press release and report here.