The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled an innovative social media moderation AI tool ahead of the highly anticipated Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, aiming to create a safer and more inclusive online environment for players and fans alike. This initiative is a significant step towards protecting the cricket community from toxic content, ensuring that athletes can engage with their supporters without facing harassment or negativity.
A Commitment to Player Well-Being
With over 60 players already opting into this program, the ICC is focused on safeguarding the mental health of individuals involved in the tournament. The moderation tool, developed in partnership with GoBubble, combines advanced artificial intelligence technology with human oversight to monitor comments across the ICC’s official social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This proactive approach is designed to identify and hide harmful content such as hate speech, harassment, and misogyny.
Finn Bradshaw, ICC’s Head of Digital, stated, “We are dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive environment for all participants and fans of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup; it’s been great to see so many of the players and teams embrace our new initiative.” This commitment highlights the ICC’s recognition of the challenges athletes face in the digital age.
Empowering Players Through Protection
South African cricketer Sinalo Jafta expressed her support for the initiative, noting its importance during high-stakes tournaments. “For me, with social media protection, I think it takes a lot of weight off players, especially at World Cup campaigns as that is the worst of it,” Jafta explained. She emphasized that negative comments can be particularly overwhelming after matches, whether they win or lose. “There is nothing worse than opening up your phone after a loss—or after a victory—and regardless of what side you find yourself on, there is always some degrading comment about your personality.”
Jafta further remarked on the significance of this protection for younger players entering the sport: “That protection for me is very big because players get to share their life with the world without fear of being judged or criticized.”
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Exciting Features for Fans
In addition to the social media moderation tool, the ICC has introduced several features aimed at enhancing fan engagement during the tournament:
- Live Radio Commentary: Available globally via the ICC match center.
- Live Streaming: In select regions including Southeast Asia and continental Europe, fans can watch matches live and free on ICC.tv.
- Interactive Contests: Fans can participate in predicting the Aramco Player of the Match for a chance to win prizes.
- Comprehensive Content Access: Fans will enjoy highlights, behind-the-scenes content, live scores, stats, schedules, and standings.
The official hashtag for this event is #t20worldcup, encouraging fans to join discussions and celebrate their teams online.
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