Why we are joining the football boycott of social media

Football clubs, players and leagues across Scotland are joining together this weekend to boycott social media in protest at the rise in abuse on the platforms.

Enough is enough.

While social media is a powerful and often positive tool to promote our sport, we are seeing an increase in abuse - racist, sexist, vicious, vile - directed at our sportspeople.

Some of my team have been subjected to derogatory remarks over the years too, handed out by faceless cowards who hide behind an unverified username.

Enough is enough.

Social media operators need to do more to tackle this. We hope that this firm step from the football and sporting community will shine a brighter light on these issues and start to eradicate the abuse.

So, from 3pm on Friday until 11.59pm on Monday, The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News' sport social channels will fall silent.

We will be back after that, but for now, we must make a stand.