Eighth Immortal Andrew Johns has scoffed at the new app being promoted by stakeholder Todd Carney, which is aimed at protecting players and clubs from embarrassing social media moments.
Carney and friend Mitchell Micallef developed the app SocialBase, which is aimed at allowing sporting teams' media managers to approve social media posts by players.
Carney hasn't played first grade rugby league since 2018 with Hull Kingston Rovers, but his NRL career ended abruptly in 2014 when a viral 'bubbler' image taken of the playmaker in the men's bathroom of a pub led to the Sharks ripping up his million-dollar contract.
The 34-year-old now works as a concreter on the Gold Coast, and though he admits the app would not have helped his situation because the 'bubbler' image was posted by someone else without his knowledge, he told Wide World of Sports that the app would "assist clubs and the codes by adding a layer of protection".
Johns was not convinced such an app was even needed, and called on players to take responsibility for their own actions, or better still, avoid social media altogether.
"Is this April Fool's Day?" Johns joked on Wide World of Sports' Immortal Behaviour.
"I don't know. You know what? Turn your social media off. Just don't go on it. That's the simple thing. And not only that, don't be a dick."
Johns said players need to apply common sense to their use of social media.
"Look, they're not babies, they're grown men," he said.
"Take charge of your life. Don't put anything up if you're pissed, or if you're tired and emotional.
"You don't need people to hold your hand. You know right from wrong. You get so much education on what you've got to do. Just take responsibility. You're grown men."
Johns was also critical of the wave of negativity that thrives on social media and questioned why athletes, who are already highly scrutinised on and off the field in the public sphere, would invite any more criticism.
"The thing I don't understand with social media is, you don't let f---wits into your life, so why would you let them into your life where they can pot you and call you all sorts of names when you don't know who is saying it?" Johns asked.
Carney defended claims the app would be an unnecessary road-block to the freedom of expression professional athletes have on social media.
"It's not an infringement on your freedom – nobody means to do wrong, people make mistakes," Carney told Wide World of Sports.
"It's just to stop from mistakes from happening. But it's going to be up to the individual.
"I feel the way the game's going the rules they have so far I don't see how it would be an issue to players."
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/todd-carney-app-to-control-nrl-player-social-media-slammed-by-andrew-johns/e7181db0-0c86-4b6b-8873-6052f85dd6eb
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