Former British tennis champion Andy Murray has disclosed that he and his wife Kim have prohibited their four children from using social media platforms, which they view as potentially harmful to young people.
The two-time Wimbledon winner made the revelation whilst discussing the surge in online abuse directed at athletes, particularly following British No. 1 Katie Boulter's recent disclosure of death threats she received from gamblers.
"Me and my wife are trying to keep our children off social media until they are much older, because I think it can be pretty damaging," Murray told the BBC.
The couple's four children range in age from four to nine years old.
Andy Murray has called on Elon Musk to take action with the tennis icon speaking out on social media abuse
PA/GETTY
Murray's comments came after Boulter publicly shared the "disgusting" messages she had received, which were predominantly linked to gambling and included death threats from punters.
The British No 2's disclosure prompted an outpouring of support from the sporting community, with numerous tennis players subsequently sharing their own experiences of similar abuse.
"I think it's positive any time anyone can speak out about it. It's great that [Katie] talked about it," Murray said.
JUST IN:Imane Khelif told to 'return Olympic medal from Paris' as boxing chief explains 'suspicious moments'
Andy Murray and Kim Sears have banned their four children from 'damaging' social media
GETTY
"Athletes across all sports have been discussing this for a long time, but it hasn't really changed. Hopefully something can get done soon."
Murray expressed uncertainty about who should bear responsibility for addressing online abuse, questioning whether government intervention or action from technology leaders, such as Elon Musk, might be necessary.
"I don't know whose responsibility it is, I don't know if the government needs to do more to tackle it, or [X owner] Elon Musk and people like that can do more to stop these messages getting through to individuals," Murray stated.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy provides update on relationship with wife Erica Stoll as The Open creeps closer
He acknowledged the complexity of the issue, noting that solutions extend beyond just protecting athletes.
"I don't mean just athletes, but then you get into the whole debate around free speech and it's a difficult one," he added.
The Government's Online Safety Act is currently being implemented to protect users from illegal or harmful content.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Murray, who retired at last year's Olympics, acknowledged experiencing online hostility throughout his career and finding the abuse particularly challenging during his early years as a professional.
"I found abuse difficult at the beginning of my career," he admitted.
The former world No. 1 offered practical advice to current athletes, suggesting they should "trying to avoid looking at the comments and going on our phones immediately after matches."
Katie Boulter expects abuse towards tennis players will intensify during WimbledonPAHowever, he emphasised that the burden of preventing abuse should not fall on athletes themselves.
Murray cautioned that whilst avoiding immediate exposure to comments might help, players should not be compelled to modify their behaviour to escape online harassment.
Most Read
