Wing Ashton Hewitt has called on social media companies to be proactive rather than reactive in the fight against online abuse.
Dragons joined sporting clubs and organisations across the UK in boycotting social media this weekend - from 15:00 BST on 30 April until 23:59 on Monday, 3 May - in an attempt to tackle abuse and discrimination.
The move was welcomed by Hewitt - who has himself sadly been the target on social media – but he knows much more still needs to happen.
"What we really want is for these accounts not to exist in the first place and hate not to be spread in the first place," said Hewitt, speaking on BBC Radio Four.
"But what's happening is everybody is receiving the hate, everybody can see that, then the account gets deleted or removed or the comments taken down. By that time the damage is already done.
"I am not 100% sure of the answer if I am being honest but I am certain they (social media companies) can do something. They are a lot more reactive than proactive.
“It is amazing to see the number of sports and teams within those sports who are prepared to join the social media blackout,” he added.
"My only concern with it is the length of the boycott, the number of people involved in the boycott, I am not sure how much impact that will have on these platforms. More needs to be done.
"However, coming together as a collective is hugely positive and it encourages conversations. That's amazing.’
It is amazing to see the number of sports and teams within those sports who are prepared to join the social media blackout...
