SOUTHEND United manager Mark Molesley agrees social media chiefs should be doing more to stamp out online abuse.

Football leaders have today issued an open letter calling for systems to be put in place which would enable the police to accurately identify account users when necessary.

And Molesley, whose own Twitter account is currently not showing, feels more needs to be done.

“No I haven’t deleted it (Twitter) but there are two ways of looking this,” said Molesley.

“Abuse is abuse and I don’t think it’s fair.

“People don’t understand a lot of what people go through or their circumstances, especially in this time.

“People put on a brave face but abuse hurts everyone and we want it cut out.

“Unfortunately some social media platforms get a lot of uneducated people having a very large platform to voice their opinions.

“Some of them are quite harsh, very rude, hurting and cutting and there’s no place in society for that.

Echo:

Not showing - Mark Molesley's Twitter account is currently not showing

“If you’re willing to say something on social media you should make yourself available.

“A lot of people hide behind the platforms and you can see the horrible abuse that goes out there.

“I don’t like that and I’m a stand up person. If I’ve got something to say to someone I would say it to their face I would like to think.

Manchester United players Marcus Rashford, Axel Tuanzebe, Anthony Martial and Lauren James are among those who have been the targets of social media abuse in recent weeks, along with West Brom’s Romaine Sawyers and Chelsea defender Reece James, Lauren’s brother.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said on Thursday he had been made aware of social media users wishing him dead by his children, while referee Mike Dean has asked not to officiate a Premier League game this weekend after he received death threats.

And Molesley feels something must be sorted to stop such levels of abuse from happening.

“When you see the abuse some players are getting it’s completely unfair, unwarranted and unlicensed,” said Molesley.

“We’ve got to look at ways of tackling that.

“It’s not the nicest thing in the world and you should try to be nice to people.

“With social media people can hide behind something and say what they want which isn’t always fair.

“But I accept it (criticism) is part and parcel of my job.

“You’re up there to be shot down and that’s the job.”