Kent Cricket are joining in with a nationwide social media boycott this weekend.

The England and Wales Cricket Board along with all 18 first-class counties will join the football clubs and authorities in a blackout to make a stand against online abuse.

Kent will cease posting on all its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn accounts from 3pm on Friday until 11:59 pm on Monday in solidarity with athletes and those connected to sport that have suffered from disgusting online abuse.

Kent say: “Discrimination and/or abusive behaviour has no place in modern life, and Kent Cricket remains committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination from our sport and in wider society.

“After discussions with the club’s professional playing staff, all have agreed to join the boycott in the spirit of solidarity.”

Gillingham Football Club have announced they will be taking part in the campaign and many other sporting organisations and their clubs will do likewise.

The hope is that social media companies will become more pro-active in eliminating online abuse from their platforms while the

UK government has been called upon to ensure that its Online Safety Bill includes legislation to make social media companies more accountable for the content posted on their platforms.

Kent Cricket’s chief exec Simon Storey, said: “Everyone at the club fully supports the social media blackout happening this weekend.

“We have seen targeted abuse sent to sportspeople and this has no place in society. As a professional cricket club and overseers of recreational cricket in Kent, we take pride in being a vehicle for passion and identity for the people of Kent and our supporters.

“Whilst we welcome enthusiasm and passion for our Club and for cricket along with personal opinions, abhorrent online abuse is completely against what we stand for as a Club. We join our counterparts across sport to call upon social media companies to take more action against abusive content.”

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