ANDthis saturday April 30, 2022 is fulfilled a year since Valencia closed the comments on their networks social (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) with no sign of reopening them in the near future. Valencia decided block responses to their publications on April 30, 2021 to support “the international initiative against abuse and violence in social networks”. The Mestalla club claimed those responsible for these platforms for greater control “to prevent discriminatory comments”. It was an initiative originally initiated by the clubs of the premier league that during the weekendbetween May 1 and 3- decided not to provide information from their official accounts and that they also supported superior organizations such as the UEFA or FIFA.
With the slogans “No to hate, Stop online abuse and No to racism” Valencia made a show of being the “first LaLiga club” in joining this international campaign against abuse on social networks. “Our networks, like those of other clubs and players, also are attacked by a small group of violent and racist people”, explained the statement that Valencia spread through Twitter. “Zero tolerance for this type of behavior. For this reason, the club will continue to report, but will deactivate the comments with the aim of ending the spread of hate on the networks,” he insisted.
But he decided to adapt the tailored to your circumstances. On the one hand, did not cause a news blackout on their networks -not to post any comments for 48 hours-, in fact, announced the dismissal of coach Javi Graciavia Twitter on Monday May 3. What he did was turn off the ability to reply to messages. And on the other, he did not limit the measure until May 3, but that prolonged it and now it’s been a year.
Elvira Garcia de Torresexpert in digital communication and social networks of the CEU-Cardinal Herrera Universitydoes not see consistency in Valencia maintaining the blockade of the answers a year later: “The measure made sense at a certain moment as a complaint. But at present, if the club publicly has some accounts on social networks -which due to its are participatory in nature – it makes no sense to close participation to users”.
If the club publicly has accounts on social networks – which by their nature are participatory – it makes no sense to close participation to users
MARK contacted the Valencia to address the measure from the perspective of the First anniversary and if there is any intention of change in the future. But the president’s intervention was offered as an official response Anil Murthy, in the last general meeting of shareholders, in which the ‘responses’ by increasing from 9 to 3,598 the number of actions own or delegated to be able to attend. This was what Murthy said on December 16: “It is an issue that worries us. We now have more than 7 million followers and until recently, every day there were insults, anger, hatred… And nothing more. Lpeople who interacted with them told me that this type of interaction was rubbish. He is not a good example for anyone, especially children, so we decided to limit interactions. Now digital platforms are changing their policy to prevent violence and hate on social networks. If this happens we will reopen.
Digital platforms are changing their policy to prevent violence and hate on social networks. If this happens we will reopen
MARCA is aware that before that prepared reflection of Murthy, had occurred the internal debate in the club to consider the opening of social networks. but she weighed don’t take a wrong step and not make a mistake, which the property usually makes pay with the dismissal as has happened to other Communications managers in the Meriton Holdings era (company of peter lim which holds the majority shareholding). “If we open, we could no longer close again,” was expressed in a meeting in which it was decided to keep the comments closed.
Messages with hate speech, racism and abuse must be distinguished from those in which they disagree or show disagreement and criticism
“Must distinguish what are messages that we would call hate speech, racismof abuse and attack of the messages in which they disagree with actions or show disagreement or there is criticism”, specifies García de Torres. “In this second case there is still it would make less sense to expose yourself in a public space and close yourself off from receiving all kinds of messages it must be taken into account that the expression that is received through the Internet on any of the channels It is not a direct reflection of all the fans but only from the fans that are on social networks. It cannot be taken as a whole and therefore you have to relativize a lot”.
In its communication strategy, the Mestalla club has had no qualms about using their networks social for deny journalists or for censor the action of a referee during a game, as happened with the arbitration of Hernandez Hernandez and the controversial decision of not award a penalty at the Bernabéuagainst Real Madrid. The club’s reaction – which it called robbery in the peculiar ironic style of the social network – expressed through the official account of Twitter, received a lot of criticism, and also praises of its followers, in addition to the Integrity complaint of the Spanish Football Federation.
The tweet about the robberies and the paper house, in the match against Real Madrid is the one that received the most retweets and likes in the last eight months.
Valencia is the fourth LaLiga club in followers via Twitter (1.3 million) behind Real Madrid, Barcelona (both with 41.3 million) and Atlético (5.3 million) and ahead of Seville (1 million). Although it is clear that his interactions have decreased in the last year, his number of followers has not.
