British Olympic and Paralympic stars are to receive a new layer of defence against torrents of online hate, thanks to a pioneering artificial intelligence tool funded by UK Sport.
A £300,000 Shield Against Hate
The national funding body has signed a contract worth over £300,000 with the company behind an application named Social Protect. This investment is a direct response to the escalating and unacceptable abuse targeted at elite competitors on social media platforms.
The AI-driven service will be offered free of charge to athletes throughout the entire four-year cycle leading up to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. It is designed to automatically scan and filter toxic content, allowing athletes to focus on their performance without the distraction of personal attacks.
How the AI Protection Works
The technology operates by continuously monitoring comments and replies on a range of major social platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Its system is programmed to detect messages containing a library of over two million abusive keywords and phrases.
When identified, these harmful posts are automatically hidden from the athlete's view in their comment sections. Athletes also have the ability to personalise the filter, adding specific words or phrases they wish to avoid.
However, the protection has notable limitations. The current agreement does not cover the platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Furthermore, the system does not access private inboxes, meaning abusive direct messages on any platform will still reach the recipient.
Commitment to Athlete Welfare On and Off the Field
UK Sport's director of performance, Kate Baker, emphasised the necessity of the move. "The level of abuse our athletes are facing online is unacceptable - to do nothing about this is not an option," she stated.
"This agreement sits right at the heart of our commitment to ensure athletes have the right support to be the best version of themselves on and off the field of play."
The service will extend beyond the competitors themselves. Coaches, support staff, and even athletes' family members will also be eligible to use the app's filtering capabilities.
Social Protect's founder, Shane Britten, outlined the app's core mission: "The aim is to keep the comment section clean of racism, hatred, scams - of all the horrible things that can exist on social media."
The app is already in use by Rugby Australia, which has a partnership to protect its players, coaches, staff, and clubs from harassment across all levels of the sport.
