'Cowardice' - Brad Shields reveal his brush with trolling.

[Rossm]

Bobby Bridge reports:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/jacob-umaga-wasps-brad-shields-19807547

[hookender]

As I don’t do Instagram or other social platforms (especially to message people ) can’t really comment. But I guess if you are going to put your name out there and have these accounts it’s always going to be open to abuse one way or the other.

[Neils]

As I don’t do Instagram or other social platforms (especially to message people ) can’t really comment. But I guess if you are going to put your name out there and have these accounts it’s always going to be open to abuse one way or the other.

Totally agree.

[RogerE]

I signed up to Facebook and Twitter solely so I could see content from sources I am interested-in, e.g. Rugby, Railways and local groups. I never post on the "personal" sites that were automatically set up for me, other than the occassional non-contoversial post just to keep my "membership" going, and never read them.

[Horusthewasp]

As I don’t do Instagram or other social platforms (especially to message people ) can’t really comment. But I guess if you are going to put your name out there and have these accounts it’s always going to be open to abuse one way or the other.

Totally agree.

+1

A real unfortunate consequence to today’s ‘connected’ world. And it’s not just just your typical “keyboard warrior” hiding behind his/her screen who is guilty of this behaviour, but a certain a former global leader helped normalise this kind of behaviour.

[baldpaul101]

But I guess if you are going to put your name out there and have these accounts it’s always going to be open to abuse one way or the other.

For a sportsman, its a tricky one. If you have a social media presence there will always be someone who wants to argue with you, tell you you're s*it, you shouldn't be selected etc etc.
However if you have no social media presence it impacts on your ability to earn money, which at the end of the day, is important. That money can be earned both on line itself & in other avenues like book sales, commentary jobs, after dinner speaking ets etc. Low profile = less opportunities.

IN the modern world, if you are a public figure simply not engaging in social media is not always as simple as that.

[Hymenoptera]

Social media isn't the problem, it's the dickhead behind it.

Its the same dickhead that scratches you car because its nicer than his.
The same one that slashes your tires because your parked in 'his spot' in the street.
The same one that spray paints your shop with defamatory remarks because of the color of your skin.

Society is the problem, social media enlarges it's footprint. You just have to know these people exist and move past them.

[baldpaul101]

true, but in times past if you missed a kick to touch say, someone would be sitting on their sofa muttering about you being useless. Now that same person has a platform to mouth off directly in front of the player concerned.

Many, many more people will sound off on social media that will ever slash your tyres or spray you shop. So although the thought is still there, its much easier to type a few nasty words than actually take offensive action.

hence society has a problem, social media magnifies it. IMO

[Hymenoptera]

Thats what I said, it enlarges the footprint, from 1 in 100 to 50 in 100.

[InBetweenWasp]

Social media isn't the problem, it's the dickhead behind it.

Its the same dickhead that scratches you car because its nicer than his.
The same one that slashes your tires because your parked in 'his spot' in the street.
The same one that spray paints your shop with defamatory remarks because of the color of your skin.

Society is the problem, social media enlarges it's footprint. You just have to know these people exist and move past them.

Absolutely and totally agree.  To suggest that being on Social Media means you should accept the abuse is bonkers.

[Peej]

As I don’t do Instagram or other social platforms (especially to message people ) can’t really comment. But I guess if you are going to put your name out there and have these accounts it’s always going to be open to abuse one way or the other.

This is a weird take.

[hookender]

As I don’t do Instagram or other social platforms (especially to message people ) can’t really comment. But I guess if you are going to put your name out there and have these accounts it’s always going to be open to abuse one way or the other.

This is a weird take.

In what way?