A UK tech firm using artificial intelligence and publicly available information has embarrassed global giants Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by demonstrating it is perfectly possible to track online abuse and unmask perpetrators.
London-based company Signify has shown it can analyse hundreds of thousands of messages and pull out abuse aimed at footballers - using text or emojis - within hours.
Signify is in discussion with Premier League clubs about how they can use the technology to protect players who are routinely attacked on social media.
Their work reveals the huge volume of hate, covering race, homophobia, disability and religion, as well as the deluge of general abuse, aimed at footballers every week.