Social Media Risks

[Anchor Lead]

Social media has been abuzz throughout the PyeongChang Olympics. Social media has played a pivotal role in bringing athletes and their fans together, but there are also a few downsides such as trolling and malicious comments.

[Pkg]

This mobile phone footage shows athletes Lee Sang-hwa and Nao Kodaira standing side by side and smiling. This was broadcast live on social media prior to the medal ceremony. The athletes' fans were elated to see what their favorites sports stars are like outside the skating rink. British snowboarder Aimee Fuller has grabbed the spotlight by posting a video of her tour of the Olympic Village to give viewers a backstage look of the Olympic Games. Her video has been viewed more than 700,000 times so far.

[Soundbite] Aimee Fuller(British Snowboarder)

But athletes are also receiving a lot of malicious replies. Korean short-track skaters Choi Min-jeong and Seo Yi-ra were recently bombarded with more than 20,000 replies. They were posted by Chinese fans after several Chinese athletes were disqualified in races with their Korean rivals. Canadian skater Kim Boutin, who ended up with a bronze medal because Choi Min-jeong was disqualified, and speedskater Kim Bo-reum, who triggered controversy over failed teamwork, also fell victim to malicious replies. The two athletes eventually either shut down their social media accounts or blocked access. Social media has emerged as a new means of connecting athletes and their fans. But the lack of etiquette among social media users is a matter of concern.