Love Island contestants might be banned from social media to protect themselves and their households from on-line abuse

Love Island contestants might be banned from any social media exercise to protect themselves and their households from on-line abuse whereas they keep within the villa this summer season.

ITV bosses have introduced new responsibility of care procedures for the forged forward of the hit reality show’s tenth season, as a result of begin in a couple of weeks.

The social media ban was trialled during the show’s winter series earlier this 12 months, with contestants not allowed to let their family members replace their on-line accounts whereas within the villa in a bid to cut back trolling.

The courting present has beforehand sparked a barrage of viewers Ofcom complaints over alleged poisonous or abusive behaviour amongst members.

It has additionally come beneath scrutiny in recent times following the suicides of presenter Caroline Flack in 2020, in addition to former contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis within the years prior.

Bosses have now formally launched the social media ban for the summer season sequence, asking members to pause their accounts during their time on the present, to make sure that each they and their households are protected against on-line abuse.

Series 5 islander Amy Hart stated her household and buddies needed to learn loss of life threats aimed in direction of her whereas she was within the villa.

She stated: “I didn’t really take into account when I went into the villa that although my best friend was really excited to run my social media account, it was me that signed up to do the show, not my family and not my friends.

“But it was them that needed to learn the loss of life threats and it was them that needed to learn the horrible messages. Whereas after I got here out, I got here out to an awesome response due to the best way that I left, and so they had been those who had a tough time after I was in there.”

Meanwhile, sequence eight finalist Tasha Ghouri described the transfer as “great and needs to be done”.

She added: “I believe it’s 100% the right step in the right direction, I could see there was a lot less trolling and negativity.”

Before occurring the present, islanders will full video coaching and steering throughout a spread of subjects together with mutually respectful behaviour in relationships, behaviour patterns related to controlling and coercive behaviour and language round incapacity, sexuality, race and ethnicity, and microaggressions earlier than they meet their fellow contestants.

Love Island’s producers have additionally stated members will obtain psychological help and an aftercare package deal for once they depart the villa.

Prospective islanders will even watch a video fronted by the present’s govt producer and head of welfare, interviewing former contestants about their experiences within the villa.

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This will embody how to deal with being filmed 24/7 and the interplay they’ll have with producers throughout their time on Love Island.

Support can also be given to relations, coping with social media trolling, and adapting to life away from the present.

In-house therapists have been in place for a number of seasons now, with a minimal of eight remedy periods supplied to every contestant once they return house.

On the present’s welfare procedures, sequence seven winner Liam Reardon stated: “I found the welfare chats helpful as it gave us a chance to have a small break from villa life and being able to talk to someone off camera.

“It was good to talk to somebody each few days who wasn’t within the villa and who had been there to simply hear or supply recommendation.

“The psychiatrists were a big help too for when times got a little hard.”

Amy Hart added: “The welfare team were really supportive after I left. I also had a lot of therapy with the therapist I had in the villa, so it was lovely to have that continuation of care, and ITV were really supportive of that.”