Kick It Out 2.0 – Discrimination reporting app gets revamp

In order to step up the fight against racism and discrimination, Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation have released a new version of their app that assists football fans in discreetly reporting racism and/or discrimination instantly at whichever venue they are at.

The new version of the app provides users with the ability to attach photos, video or audio evidence to complaints to help support investigations into discriminator abuse.

The free app was initially released in July 2013 with the aim of allowing matchday attendees to confidentially report incidents they may see, hear or witness at a match.

The second version of the app has focused on the gathering of more conclusive evidence for the use in investigations and to be attached to reports. Women’s Super League clubs has also been included in this version. But one of the most important additions to the app is to be able to report incidents of football-related hate crime on social media platforms

Kick It Out revealed that 50% of complaints it received for the 2013/2014 season related to social media abuse. Further research from the organisation in April 2015 estimated than an abusive post was directed at a Premier League player or club once every 2.6 minutes.

Steps have also been taken to make reporting grassroots and non-league incidents more user-friendly. Selecting grassroots and non-league comes at the very top of the reporting form and there are now less entry fields making complaints clearer and more concise.

Anna Jӧnsson, Reporting Officer for Kick It Out, said that the popularity of using the app to report these incidents has skyrocketed

We have seen the app become one of the most prominent and popular mechanisms used to report incidents since its release in 2013, and took the decision last year to strengthen its level of functionality. We have particularly seen the use of video evidence play a key role in highlighting discriminatory behaviour and it is important we give complainants the opportunity to bring this to our attention if they have the footage recorded.

Usage of the app has increased by 59% between the 2013/14 season (34 complaints) and the 2014/15 campaign (54 complaints) with the reporting tool becoming one of the most prominent and well-known forms of registering a complaint.

Hands on reporting

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Matt Tewhatu
Matt Tewhatu 155 posts

Matt is the editor of Digital Sport and Chief of Snack Media's rugby division and has a journalistic background both here in UK, Australia and in his native New Zealand. Follow him on Twitter @mtewhatu

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