The FIA have warned against the growing online hate in Formula 1. The federation is concerned about the increase of comments directed at both officials and drivers that only increased over the past year.
With the 2024 season especially being a nail-biting one, many extreme thoughts where shared on either maneouvres or the steward's decisions in F1. The report conducted by the UAOA (United Against Online Abuse) show that as many as 75% of the drivers had to deal with threats on social media, and 66% think the social media platforms should take more action.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was positive about how many are now trying to tackle this problem, he talked about the matter in Madrid. "Last year UAOA highlighted the devastating personal toll online abuse has on competitors and athletes. This second edition report has shone a light on the equally unacceptable abuse faced by officials and referees—essential members of the sporting community who ensure our competitions are conducted fairly, robustly, and with integrity," he began.
Ben Sulayem reacts to the UAOA report
"While it’s encouraging to see more federations adopting anti-abuse measures, these findings show that the scale of abuse is continuing to grow. UAOA’s work in 2025 will be critical in fostering collaboration across the sporting, political, and technology sectors to create meaningful, lasting solutions that protect all members of our community," the FIA President continued.
The FIA will continue to talk with social media platforms, governments, and other federations in order to fight against the issue, they announced in their press release. The clear goal is to create an safe environment of respect, where everyone involved can follow their dreams and passion without fearing intimidation or threats.
This article was written in collaboration with Estéban den Toom
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It's not unfair to say the the FIA have fuelled a fair bit of the abuse the drivers have received. Social media of course is the main culprit, where everyone has a voice. Unfortunately, in this world of instant everything, lacking attention spans, and a degradation in education, we do get those who dish out death threats to officials and drivers or sent them insults to their social media accounts. Despite how some see me here, I have never once sent Max, or anyone driver/TP/official for that matter) a direct message insulting him. Not something I would do. Besides it doesn't achieve anything. The FIA's part in AD'21 and their subsequent cover-up brought a lot of online heat on Max, which in my view wasn't fair. Sure Max was guilty of other things that season, but not in those final laps in Abu Dhabi. That was entirely on RB and Masi. We know Masi got some flak (a lot of it deserved, but death threats are not) and so did his family. Death threats for Latifi were ridiculous also. Red Bull I assume got some too but, again, they deserved a fair bit of that. Trust in the FIA has waned since then, I think by both fanbases. Lewis had had plenty of racial abuse and such, and ridiculed for what he wears. F1 used to be a gentleman's sport. It was so much more enjoyable to watch before the Internet spawned and sites just went after clicks and provoking drama. The 1980's and 90's were amazing. You didn't hear of that behaviour back then.
''Death threats for Latifi were ridiculous also. Red Bull I assume got some too but, again, they deserved a fair bit of that.'' That tells me and everybody what kind of toxic bully you are. It says a whole lot you feel the need to defend yourself involving this topic...why?? You feel it is about you? Again to everybody reading this, don't interact with this toxic bully, he lives for other people to get riled up, don't encourage toxic people in bad behaviour, so it is better to ignore him.
What it tells is that you can't understand English. Are you in favour of death threats then? You are complaining that I'm against them. And yes I fully 100% stand by my comment that Red Bull and Masi did deserve SOME of the online abuse they got. After what they did, hell yeah. Death threats are made by scum - the dregs of the Internet. And that is a totally different thing. And as IF people like you can complain. Your posts to me are online abuse. So it's clear trolls are fine with it too. It's what they do. Abuse people online. Your posts here have mostly, if not all, been troll posts. You don't get to talk about toxicity, when you create your own then cry when you get it thrown back at you. Get real.
Well,you can't put the genii back in the bottle..... F1 news use to report in print the results and what happened,that was it. To a audience that read the newspaper and then tossed it,or beat the dog for humping the cat with it. Conversations about F1 was held in pubs,at home or on the phone.....you didn't say something stupid to the stranger in the pub,you behaved. Now,anyone with a phone can bring out their own biggest,baddest keyboard warrior syndrome...and now it is not on articles that report the F1 news as it happened.....but it is about puff pieces like who wore what,who is eating where,baby humps and that one driver,who retired in 76,twice removed cousin from his marriage to his sister.....having their opinion ......it is a joke.
Spot on ??? One big factor fueling what you’re noticing is that you used to pay to get the newspaper, so they had more incentive to write facts. Now advertisers pay for your news articles, so the more exaggerated the puff piece, the more clicks, the more revenue they get.
"you used to pay to get the newspaper, so they had more incentive to write facts." That's a very good point! Things have changed for the worse in media, that is for sure.
So true. What is worse is that some of the news websites I use to get my daily dose of bad news,have now gone the subscription model. Back in the day,I didn't mind paying for the newspaper as it was factual and got me up to date. But I can't pay for these puff pieces,designed for click bait instead of content.
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