ITV’s Love Island to require contestants to close social media accounts amid show’s ‘cyberbullying’ issues
Love Island contestants will be asked to leave their social media accounts “dormant” through ITV’s new duty of care measures
Contestants set to be a part of ITV’s smash hit reality contest Love Island will be required to close their social media accounts while competing on the show. The upcoming winter season of the show will be the first time such a request will be enforced by ITV producers after the broadcaster’s official announcement.
The requirement comes as more and more reality television stars have repeatedly found themselves as the subjects of online harassment and cyberbullying which ITV have called “the adverse effects of social media.” The move is part of ITV’s recently introduced duty of care measures going into the new year.
The changes look to also be an effort to combat the number of complaints that the last season of Love Island had made towards it. Ofcom reported that they received thousands of complaints of what viewers felt was “misogynistic” and “bullying” behaviour the Islanders demonstrated earlier this year.
In response, ITV will be offering contestants in the winter series of the show guidance and training around mutually respectful behaviour in relationships. The new Islanders will also be offered resource links to read before meeting the other contestants to help them “identify negative behaviours in relationships” and “understand the behaviour patterns associated with controlling and coercive behaviour”.
ITV has also stated that before entering the show, prospective contestants will also again watch a video fronted by the show’s executive producer and head of welfare interviewing former islanders about their experiences on the show. The broadcaster will also continue their inclusive language training for contestants they launched in May 2022, covering disability, sexuality, race and ethnicity, and microaggressions.