What’s The Buzz: Phil Rothfield has blocked 2000 people on Twitter but second chances have been granted

Phil Rothfield has blocked more than 2000 people on Twitter. But, he has given a select few people a rare opportunity at a second chance. Buzz takes trolls to the Twitter tribunal.

Who will be released from Twitter jail by Buzz?

Off the field, rugby league can be a wild old game. Like a snake pit.

One NRL club CEO said to me during the year: “They’ll hold your funeral in a phone box.”

Months earlier, he’d threatened legal action over something I’d written.

We sorted it out over half a dozen beers, a laugh and a long lunch a few weeks ago.

The content in sports gossip columns is not always complimentary.

You have to tell it as it is, knowing readers don’t buy the paper or online subscriptions for fluff pieces.

Which brings us to the main topic – social media.

In particular Twitter. It can be like a sewer.

BELOW: SEE WHO BUZZ DID AND DIDN’T SET FREE FROM TWITTER JAIL

Who did Buzz set free from Twitter jail? Picture: Boo Bailey

The nastiest place for the most horrible keyboard cowards.

People who use it just to abuse others with disgusting language.

Your columnist will celebrate 12 years on Twitter in March. In that time, interacting with the readers, I’ve tweeted more than 29,600 times and amassed a following of more than 95,000 people.

But, I have a strict no-dickhead policy and have blocked more than 2000 accounts over the years.

It’s a better solution than giving up and closing your account.

As a sports journalist there is no better way to stay in touch with the fans than via Twitter.

For every low-life on the social media platform that billionaire businessman Elon Musk now owns, there are people who genuinely and intelligently want to discuss the major and important issues in rugby league.

It can go into meltdown on game days with a bunker blunder or a refereeing error.

It’s passion personified. The punters letting off steam.

In that spirit, we decided to use The Daily Telegraph NRL Podcast to offer some Twitter users a second chance, to unblock people who were once banished from my timeline.

Colleague Michael Carayannis tweeted: “Have you been blocked by @BuzzRothfield and want a reprieve? Now is your chance to plead your case and get unblocked. Tweet your offence and @BuzzRothfield, @AdamMobbs and I will deliberate on the podcast whether or not you should be unblocked.”

The response was overwhelming, albeit not always positive. The tweet created an astonishing 64,000 impressions, 200 replies and numerous requests to be unblocked, with just as many wanting to remain in exile.

The tweet itself was very much a microcosm of the site as a whole – some genuine discourse and interactions, a bit of humour, people wanting to entertain unblocking me, and of course, some abuse.

We deliberated over 15 genuine requests. Seven of those people were unblocked, another seven remained in Twitter jail after the circumstances of their blocking or their subsequent social media behaviour didn’t warrant another chance, while one person was given parole, with strict bail conditions.

So pretty much 50/50. Which is how it goes on Twitter, I guess. That’s why, as a journalist, you’ve got to take the good with the bad. Because in the end it’s worth it.

JUDGE BUZZ: PHIL ROTHFIELD TAKES TWITTER TROLLS TO THE TRIBUNAL