Mason Greenwood’s ousting from Man Utd prompted rise in misogynistic posts on Facebook and X
Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) have been accused of failing to tackle misogyny after a rise in anti-women posts about Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood who was formerly under investigation for attempted rape and assault.
Criminal charges against him were dropped and an internal investigation by the Premier League club concluded he did not commit the offences, but announced last week that the player would not be returning amid a major backlash.
Since then, internet trolls have been trying to spread misogynistic messaging online, characterising women as âdishonest and harming menâs livesâ, according to analysis conducted by social media intelligence firm Cyabra, seen by i.
Former culture secretary, Baroness Nicky Morgan, who introduced an amendment to the Online Safety Bill to address misogynistic abuse online, told i she was âdisappointed but not surprisedâ to hear about the content relating to Greenwood.
Cyabra said 251 profiles on Twitter and Facebook had shared 327 posts in support of Greenwood while incorporating the words âfear womenâ. Collectively, the posts gained almost 3,500 interactions, with the potential of being seen by nearly 50 million online profiles.
There is no suggestion of any link between those posting and Greenwood himself.
The content, which replicates text from other posts and fake images for profile pictures, is highly suggestive of the behaviour of trolls, the analysts said.
âThese accounts are expending a lot of energy to spread misogynistic content,â said Cyabra spokesperson Rafi Mendelsohn. âThey propagated the idea that men should be cautious of women and not place trust in them.
âDespite the relatively low number of posts, these messages garnered significant attention on social media, amassing a total of 3,409 interactions and the potential to reach over 46,541,000 profiles.â
Social media companies will be required to remove misogynistic abuse online under Baroness Morganâs amendment to the Online Safety Bill, which is due to return to the House of Commons on 5 December.
However, it may not be fully operational until 2024, said Ofcom, the regulator that will be enforcing the bill.
Baroness Morgan of Cotes said: âChanges made in the Lords mean the Online Safety Bill now requires Ofcom to produce guidance on how the largest social media platforms will have to decide to tackle the risks which disproportionately affect women and girls online.
âThe guidance should address how this kind of unpleasant misogynistic content doesnât flourish online and instead fails to spread.â
The End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) said the research shows women and girls face online harassment and abuse âat an alarming scaleâ.
âTech companies currently play a huge role in facilitating, amplifying, and ultimately normalising this abuse and the attitudes that underly it,â said Janaya Walker, public affairs manager at the group.
The high potential reach for posts supporting Greenwood can be attributed to the fact that numerous posts were authored by profiles with substantial follower counts, Cybara said.
One post commenting on Greenwoodâs departure from Manchester United said: âAs a man, take 23 hours to fear women and use the 1 hour to drink water.â
The post received over 3,426 engagements and was seen by more than 132,000 profiles, according to Cyabra.
Another post listed a number of footballers, including Greenwood, whose careers have been tainted over rape accusations. It said: âThey all now have their reputation ruined forever. This needs to STOP! Women falsely accusing men of rape should b[e] jailed.â
This post received 816 engagements and was seen over 105,000 times.
Another post also using the phrase âfear womenâ received over 745 engagements and was seen over 25,000 times.
Ms Walker, from the EVAW, said the Online Safety Bill will be able to address online misogyny if there is ârobustâ guidance that is âeffectively enforcedâ.
The group, which has drafted a code of practice on reducing harm to women and girls, said: âThe job now falls to the regulator and tech companies themselves to put this guidance into action.â
Rani Govender, senior child safety online policy officer at the NSPCC, said: âWe know that sexist content online shapes attitudes and behaviour. We also know that girls are at a disproportionate risk of abuse and harm online.
âThis content, which drives misogyny, has been widely amplified by technology platforms to the detriment of women and girls.
âThe Online Safety Bill will see Ofcom produce guidance on tackling harm experienced by women and girls online. Tech companies can show they take online misogyny seriously by following this guidance and addressing sexism and gendered abuse on their platforms.â
Londonâs Victims Commissioner, Claire Waxman OBE, told i: âOnline trolling which minimises rape or claims it as an âattack on menâ is a well-known tactic to silence women and girls from speaking out against violence and abuse. I know first-hand how impactful such online trolling can be.
âMore needs to be done to ensure these tactics do not eradicate the gains made by the #metoo movement.â
She welcomed the requirement for Ofcom to publish guidance on protecting women and girls online but called for this to be strengthened to ensure tech companies âcomply and play their roleâ.
The charges against Greenwood were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in February 2022 after the alleged victim withdrew her cooperation and after new material âcame to lightâ.
He had been accused of attempted rape, actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour. A now-deleted post circulated on social media apparently showing graphic images of a womanâs injuries and an audio clip of sexual and physical threats. Greenwood has denied all the charges.
The 21-year-old striker was eventually dropped from Manchester United last week after reports of his return prompted a major backlash on social media.
The club said: âAll those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United. It has therefore been mutually agreed that it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from Old Trafford, and we will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome.â
In his own statement, Greenwood said: âI understand that people will judge me because of what they have seen and heard on social media, and I know people will think the worst.
âI was brought up to know that violence or abuse is wrong, I did not do the things I was accused of, and in February I was cleared of all charges.
âHowever, I fully accept I made mistakes in my relationship, and I take my share of responsibility for the situations which led to the social media post.
âI am learning to understand my responsibilities to set a good example as a professional footballer, and Iâm focused on the big responsibility of being a father, as well as a good partner.â
Meta said it prohibits hate speech on Facebook, defining it as direct attacks against people on the basis of âprotected characteristicsâ such as race, sexual orientation or gender identity.
The company also said does not tolerate bullying and harassment om Facebook as it âprevents people from feeling safe and respectedâ.
X has been contacted for comment.