Eni Aluko calls out social media companies for rewarding Joey Barton…

Eni Aluko calls out social media companies for rewarding Joey Barton…

Eni Aluko says social media companies are rewarding hate speech and inspiring people like Joey Barton to submit “extreme” content.

Barton was convicted on Friday of sending “grossly offensive” social media posts to former Lionesses star Aluko and fellow broadcasters Lucy Ward and Jeremy Vine.

Prosecutors told Liverpool Crown Court the ex-Man City and Newcastle footballer “had crossed the line between free speech and a crime”.

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Joey Barton was convicted on six counts of sending grossly offensive social media posts

Barton, who has 2.7m followers on X, said soccer pundit Aluko was only on TV coverage “to tick boxes” after the “George Floyd nonsense” in posts on the social media platform.

Aluko told Sky Sports News she felt “10 times lighter” after seeing Barton discovered responsible on six counts and cleared on six others last Friday, however says oversight is required to stamp out hateful content on social media.

“Social media companies like X aren’t listening,” the former Chelsea participant said. “They’re not going to protect the people on the platforms.

“They truly reward hate speech, which is why any individual like Joey Barton thinks, ‘to advertise my podcast, I’m going to say excessive issues’.

“It’s the reward system, it’s become a business. So the counter to that, in my view, should be Ofcom fining these social media companies if we consistently keep seeing racism, sexism, hate speech on their platforms.

“We want more accountability for the social media platforms.”

Sky Sports News has approached X for comment.

‘Barton must suffer consequences’

Aluko says “it has been a extremely tough two years” and come at a “big emotional value to me and my household” but hopes the outcome of Barton’s trial will make people think twice before repeating what he posts.

Barton was convicted for his post about Aluko criticising diversity and inclusion schemes, but was found not guilty for likening her and Ward to the “Fred and Rose West of soccer commentary”.

Jurors did, however, rule that his superimposing of Ward and Aluko’s faces on {a photograph} of the serial killer couple was grossly offensive.

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Lucy Ward was also the topic of hateful posts from Barton on social media

“One of the problems with social media is that the amplification of people like Joey Barton [makes] people think they can say the same,” she added.

“But, I’m glad that we have a criminal consequence, and I think people should really take note of what that looks like, so that you regulate your own conduct online and make sure that you’re not crossing the line.

“There’s a component for him the place he has to really feel a way of deep remorse. It’s value him some huge cash, and, I do not suppose it is in any means, form or kind enhanced his status.

“If he ever wanted to work in football, I’m not sure that’s ever going to happen, given just his conduct towards other people in the game.

“He’s acquired to endure the penalties of his conduct, and hopefully there is a little bit of self-reflection. I’m a believer in rehabilitation, and any individual reflecting and doing the work to enhance as people, so that will probably be right down to him.”

‘Intelligent Barton knows what he’s doing’

Aluko does not believe Barton cared about the impact his posts had on her and has asked others to consider the mental toll online abuse can have on people.

“Joey Barton is an clever man. I believe he is aware of what he is doing,” said Aluko.

“Four years before these terrible posts, he was congratulating me on my profession and saying pretty issues, and it was all career-based as nicely, congratulating me after I went to Juventus, congratulating me after I acquired the job at Aston Villa as a sporting director.

“So there’s a calculation to what he did in relation to me that is really malicious and disappointing.

“But I hope that one that despatched me all those pretty messages, I hope he will get again to whoever that individual was.”

She added: “I’d say that you really want to keep in mind the influence it has on any individual’s psychological health. There’s been actually tragic examples of what social media abuse can do to any individual. We’ve seen people take their life, we have seen people turn into severely depressed.

“It’s not just hurty words, if you are consistently harassing somebody or inciting violence and saying that you should be shot, there are consequences to that in the UK.”

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