Soccer-FIFA offers tools to fight social media abuse to all 211 member countries

FILE PHOTO: A long exposure shows FIFA's logo near its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 27, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

(Reuters) - FIFA's social media tools designed to protect players from online abuse will now be available to all 211 member associations and their teams, world soccer's governing body said on Tuesday, coinciding with the International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

The Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which was developed by FIFA and the players' union FIFPRO, was first offered to all teams at the 2023 women's World Cup to help moderate hate speech on social media and hide harmful content.