Dabo Swinney Bans Clemson Players From Using Social Media, Is No Fun

Clemson football players have once again been banned from posting or interacting on any kind of social media during the season, USA Today reports. The ban has been in effect since August 3rd and while players don’t necessarily have to deactivate their accounts, they are restricted to merely lurking without making their presence known. Clemson has made the ban somewhat of an institutional policy over the past few years, in an effort to insulate the team from negative media scrutiny.

The problem with this ban is that it doesn’t actually accomplish what it allegedly sets out to. If Clemson really wants to protect the team from negative attention, there are better, more constructive ways to do so. One of them is using social media to control the narrative around the team. At this point, Twitter and Instagram can be tools as much as toys.

But the all-out ban isn’t about protecting the players. Under the rules of the ban, they could still easily go see what @go_tigers_69 is saying about them on Twitter. The point of this policy is to control and corral players and increase the power that coaches hold over them. This is a muzzle, not a security blanket.

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