Calls for action from Twitter after Pogba gets racist abuse

By: The Associated Press Posted: 7:59 AM CDT Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019 Last Modified: 2:04 PM CDT Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019

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LONDON - Manchester United defender Harry Maguire called on social media companies to require users to verify their identities after teammate Paul Pogba was targeted on Twitter with racial abuse.

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LONDON - Manchester United defender Harry Maguire called on social media companies to require users to verify their identities after teammate Paul Pogba was targeted on Twitter with racial abuse.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/08/2019 (2601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LONDON – Manchester United defender Harry Maguire called on social media companies to require users to verify their identities after teammate Paul Pogba was targeted on Twitter with racial abuse.

Racially offensive tweets about Pogba were posted after his penalty kick was saved in United’s 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League on Monday.

The 20-time English champions said they “encourage social media companies to take action in these cases” and Maguire offered a solution.

Manchester United's Paul Pogba reacts after his penalty was saved by Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Rui Patricio during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, Monday, Aug. 19, 2019. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

“Every account that is opened should be verified by a passport/driving license. Stop these pathetic trolls making numerous accounts to abuse people,” Maguire tweeted on Tuesday.

Former United defender Phil Neville, who coaches the England women’s team, called for a six-month boycott of social media companies, saying he had “lost total faith.”

Twitter said it “permanently suspended a series of accounts” for sending racist abuse to players.

“This is a societal issue and requires a societal response,” Twitter said in a statement. “We continue to liaise closely with our partners to identify meaningful solutions to this unacceptable behaviour — both offline and on.”