Tennis gamers at this yr’s French Open may have entry to a man-made intelligence-driven device to assist filter out abuse directed at them on social media – the primary time a Grand Slam is providing all gamers expertise to combat on-line harassment.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) is providing gamers at Roland Garros free entry to Bodyguard.ai, an AI-based content material moderation device that screens their accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and Discord in actual time.
Athletes more and more discover themselves subjected to insults and discriminatory feedback on social media.
Tennis gamers aren’t any totally different: their efficiency on the court docket could make them the goal of demise or rape threats.
Comments monitored
Since 2018, the FFT has put in place a assist unit for French gamers, providing psychological support for individuals who are the targets of abuse in addition to a device that screens feedback.
The organisers determined to increase the assist to all gamers within the 2023 match, which began on Monday and runs by 11 June.
The federation will use Bodyguard to observe the accounts of all gamers in the principle draw who choose in to the safety, in addition to the official FFT and Roland-Garros accounts.
The device routinely analyses posts for hateful content material and filters out potential abuse, in order that gamers will not see it on their feeds.
Bodyguard will present organisers with every day experiences on exercise directed at gamers’ accounts, and might present particulars of abusive messages and their authors for use in authorized motion.
Prioritising psychological well being
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo mentioned in April that the device was meant to assist gamers’ psychological wellbeing: “It clears the mind and will help everyone have a little more freedom on the court.”
Mental well being points led prime Japanese participant Naomi Osaka to unexpectedly withdraw from the French Open in 2021.
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“The mental health of the players is a priority for the Roland-Garros tournament,” mentioned FFT director Caroline Flaissier.
“We will not accept any form of violence at our tournament. We are very proud to be the first Grand Slam tournament to offer players a solution that efficiently protects them against cyberbullying.”
Originally revealed on RFI