‘Speaking about it hurts’ – Former Gunner Joe Willock opens up on receiving abuse

Joe Willock has spoken out about the vile abuse he has received via social media outlets, speaking after his move from Arsenal to Newcastle.

The 21 year-old has completed a move to join the Toon this summer, having impressed on loan with the club earlier in 2021, and is now looking ahead to the new season.

Speaking to BBC Newcastle’s Total Sport show(via local outlet ChronicleLive) on Wednesday, the midfielder was asked whether he had experienced any abuse via social media outlets, a hot topic after the England team’s disturbing revelations this summer, and he admitted that he regularly does and that it pains him.

He said: “You have to try and put it at the back of your mind, but it comes up on your phone. They have a way of direct messaging on these disgusting things.

“It hurts a lot, even speaking about it hurts.

“To be honest with you, there’s not much you can do. You have to try and ignore it.”

It’s terrible that in this day in age we seem to have allowed racism to become a part of every day life for those in the spotlight as well as others, and the social media platforms definitely need to make some drastic changes to their policies, and make it easier for people to report abuse with repercussions for people’s actions.

Are the social media platforms dragging their feet on the subject, or is it really that difficult to implement such regulations?

Patrick

Tags Joe Willock social media

8 Comments

  1. Social media companies won’t do anything about it cos they’re making more money when people keep posting, not minding what is being posted. Unless it poses a threat to national security it’s not their business. I do feel very sorry for players who receive these abuses. It’s wrong, inhuman and disgusting. Criticize in line with the sport but not the human being

  2. It’s funny that you ask such question. How can be it be easy for them to clamp down on things like illegal stream, yet find it difficult to regulate their platforms properly?

    It’s sadly just a [DELETED BY ADMIN] up world.

    1. Actually as you just demonstrated, little old JustArsenal’s cheap filter had no problem stopping your swearword getting through, so I agree that these massive platforms, with massive resources, should easily be able to stop them….

  3. It’s the same as being made fun of for being short/tall/male/female/red-head/race etc.

    All things that you are born as that you can’t change. Lots of people are bullied for all these things and more, I don’t think racism should get any more focus than these to be fair.

    1. I understand your point, though do not agree about racism being no worse than the other bigotries you list. But credit anyway for caring enough to post on here.

    2. PJ-SA you are right but try living the life of an ethnic minority (I don’t know if you are so apologise in advance) and see if you still agree with your post

  4. Patrick I know, or hope I know, that you were asking that question in rhetorical fashion!
    Because you, I and all Gooners must surely know that the only reason why the biggest social media companies care nothing about this NEANDERTHAL RACISM, is because spending money on filtersthat properly work and people to organise them will eat into their vast obscene profits. And the fact remains that in this world Patrick , some people choose to put personal and company profits above the welfare of ordinany decent people Others do not!

    Thankfully, JA are firmly among the good guys! Were it not, I FOR ONE WOULD NOT TOUCH IT WITH A BARGEPOLE. I ceased to use F/B a long time ago.

    1. Dear Mr jon fox,

      I agree to one thing you’ve said: “some people choose to put personal and company profits”.

      But, it doesn’t stop with the owners and the management team of the social media platforms. The majority of the blame must be placed on the USERS. The attention seekers who desire to make a quick buck using their fame.

      I’m pretty confident that you are aware of all the privacy settings in almost all the widely used social media apps. Nobody put a gun to the players’ heads to post everything “Public” or “Accept messages from everybody”.

      In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need locks and home security gadgets and CCTV cameras. But, we don’t live in an ideal world. We need some protection to keep us safe from the bad elements in the society. The moment we choose to forgo those self-preservation tools, we let ourselves open to attack.

      All social media platforms have the necessary tools to safeguard oneself. But, the attention seekers don’t care about it because of their greed. They just desire the beauty of the rose without the discomfort of the thorns.

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