'It really hurts': Erin Molan breaks down in TV interview
Channel Nine presenter Erin Molan has broken down on air while discussing the toll that online trolls have taken on her personal life.
The rugby league personality has frequently been the victim of online abuse and has spoken on numerous occasions about her ongoing ordeal.
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Molan faced vitriolic backlash earlier in the year over a segment on 2GB radio where she said: “hooka looka mooka hooka fooka”.
The 38-year-old faced widespread criticism after being accused of making fun of the names of Pacific Island players in the NRL.
She this week announced that she was suing Daily Mail Australia for their reporting of the story, claiming she was unfairly portrayed as “racist” and an “arrogant white woman of privilege”.
In a preview clip for an upcoming interview on 60 Minutes, Molan is reduced to tears talking about the negative effects trolls have had on her life.
The rugby league presenter admits that the abuse she's copped has left her in "some dark places" and insists authorities have to do more to put a stop to cyber bullying.
“The time to prosecute trolls is here,” Molan says.
“You’re not big, you’re not tough. You’re scum of the earth.”
The anti-social media. SUNDAY on #60Mins, how trolls are encouraged to run rampant by the tech giants making money from mayhem. Is there any way victims can fight back against the cowards of the keyboard? pic.twitter.com/BRVzpPLFQl
— 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) October 7, 2020
Molan stresses that the issue is much bigger than just her and that "every single Australian should be terrified about what is happening online at the moment.”
“It really hurts you, you go to some pretty dark places," she added.
Presenter wants crack down on cyber bullying
Molan has also hit out at social media companies and said they need to do better to stamp out online abuse, after hearing her own concerns essentially fall on deaf ears.
“I’ve reported these messages to Facebook, their response was that they were not considered offensive,” she says.
“They are not doing their best, not even close.”
Former Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold was also interviewed for the 60 Minutes special, following an ugly saga earlier in the year where he engaged lawyers to deal with a series of vile rumours being spread about him on social media.
Seibold eventually parted ways with the club but claims the ugly saga seriously damaged his reputation.
“My situation went viral on social media, defamatory comments, my reputation was ruined in a lot of respects,” he said in the clip.
“The very last message on social media was the one that probably upset me the most, because it spoke about my daughter.”
The 60 Minutes interview with Erin Molan and Anthony Seibold is set to air this Sunday night on Channel Nine.
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