One Two Magazine Edition 1 December 2015 One Two Magazine Edition 1 December 2015 | Page 9
Kick it out
Kick It Out
Providing users with the
ability to attach video,
photo and audio
evidence to complaints to
help support investigations
into discriminatory abuse
and behaviour across
football.
The free app, of which the first version was
released in July 2013, allows users to
confidentially report incidents they may see
hear or witness at a match. The app was
developed by makepositive, a cloud
technology firm specialising in Salesforce, and
covers over 95% of smartphones.
The second version of the app has focused on
gathering more conclusive evidence for
investigations with new functionality allowing
media to be attached to reports. A very
significant new addition to the app is the
option to report incidents of football-related
hate crime on social media platforms.
This comes after Kick It Out revealed 50% of
complaints it received for the 2013/14 season
related to social media abuse, and research
commissioned by the organisation in April
2015 also estimated an abusive post was
directed at a Premier League player or club
once every 2.6 minutes.
The new version of the app also allows
complainants to shield their identifying
information from professional clubs and the
football authorities by clicking the ‘remain
anonymous’ button contained within the
reporting form. Women’s Super League clubs
have also been included in this version.
Steps have also been taken to make reporting
grassroots and non-league incidents more
user-friendly. Selecting grassroots and nonleague comes at the very top of the reporting
form and there are now less entry fields
making complaints clearer and more concise.
The first release of the app built upon wellestablished methods of reporting, including via
email and freephone, and was a huge success
with 38% of all complaints from the
professional game in 2013/14 coming via the
has released the second
version of its reporting app
app as part of an overall 269% increase in
reports made to Kick It Out.
The latest set of statistics from Kick It Out for
the 2014/15 season shows 36% of reports
registered in relation to the professional game
came via the app - making it the most-used
mechanism for registering complaints at that
level.
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.
Anna Jӧnsson, Reporting Officer for Kick It Out,
said: “The updated version of the Kick It Out
app allows complainants to provide us with a
greater level of evidence to support
investigations through the use of video, photos
and audio.
“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.
“With the constant advances we are seeing in
technology, it is important we make sure the
app reflects these developments as we look to
ensure appropriate action is taken against
perpetrators in as many cases as we can.
want the app to empower people participating
at that level – building confidence is crucial and
all users have the ability to remain anonymous
when filing a complaint.
“The Women’s Super League (WSL) stadiums
have been incorporated too with the support
of The Football Association. This does not relate
to a spike in incidents within the WSL or
women’s football – it’s more about providing
people with the ability to report incidents if an
incident does occur.
“The app has changed dramatically since we
launched it two years ago and we will remain
open-minded as to how we can further
develop this reporting mechanism.”
Mark Richards, CEO of makepositive,
commented: “The team at Kick It Out perform
a vital role in society tackling discrimination –
and we are grateful for the opportunity to
support them.
“Technology is emerging as a key tool in
accelerating societal and cultural changes and
the latest version of the Kick It Out app takes
advantage of the full power of the users
devices to supplement the reporting process.
“We are very pleased with the impact the app
has made so far and look forward to
supporting Kick It Out in the future as they
continue to address this important issue.”
The free Kick It Out app is available on iOS and
Android devices. You can download the app
NOW from the App Store
(http://apple.co/1TtGd51) and Google Play
(http://bit.ly/1JcEguj).
Read more at http://www.berksbucksfa.com/news/2015/aug/reportingmade-easier-by-updated-kick-it-outapp#mXmvODIEeqeEYE1x.99
“The concern over
escalating levels of
football-related hate
crime on social media
platforms has been
taken into account and
we have developed a
special form within the
app which allows users
to attach screenshots
of the abuse.
“We know incidents at
grassroots level go
under-reported