Title: Social Media Protection Tools Shield 117k Abusive Comments in Women’s World Cup, but Abuse Remains Prevalent
One in five players competing in the 2023 Women’s World Cup was targeted with online abuse, according to FIFA’s latest report. In an effort to combat this issue, FIFA introduced the Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which successfully hid nearly 117,000 abusive comments during the tournament. However, the report also revealed that players at this year’s Women’s World Cup were 29% more likely to be targeted with online abuse compared to the men’s tournament held the previous year.
The SMPS, developed by FIFA in collaboration with FIFPRO, the players’ union, was initially launched during the 2022 men’s World Cup. This year, the service was extended to teams participating in the women’s finals in Australia and New Zealand. The tool has been utilized at eight FIFA tournaments over the past year, monitoring and moderating hate speech on social media platforms to shield players from harmful content.
During the Women’s World Cup, the SMPS analyzed approximately 5.1 million posts and comments in 35 different languages for abusive content. A total of 116,800 comments were subsequently hidden across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, ranging from junk and spam to discriminatory, abusive, or threatening messages. The tool protected 697 players and coaches using 2,111 active accounts on various platforms including TikTok and X.
The report highlighted that over 150 female players received targeted discriminatory, abusive, or threatening messages throughout the tournament, with the U.S. and Argentina teams experiencing the highest levels of abuse. The abusive messages detected were predominantly homophobic, sexual, and sexist in nature, accounting for nearly half of the total. The final match, which saw Spain triumph over European Champions England 1-0, resulted in the largest spike of abusive content, with the SMPS hiding more than 6,500 comments.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned the abuse, emphasizing that there should be no place for such behavior on social media, whether within FIFA tournaments or elsewhere. FIFPRO President David Aganzo echoed this sentiment, stating that the persistent online abuse affects football players worldwide, endangering their mental health and overall well-being. Aganzo emphasized the responsibility of football to protect the players within their workspace.
The SMPS, which also proved effective during the 2023 Under-17 World Cup in Indonesia, utilizes artificial intelligence to safeguard players and prevent their followers from being exposed to hate speech. Nevertheless, despite the success of these protection tools, the prevalence of online abuse remains an alarming concern that requires continued efforts from football organizations, social media platforms, and society as a whole to curb its impact on players’ lives.
While FIFA’s SMPS has proven beneficial in minimizing abusive comments during tournaments, further action is needed to address the root causes of online abuse and create a safer digital environment for athletes. With the successful implementation of such social media protection measures, the hope is that players can focus on their performance and enjoyment of the game rather than dealing with the traumatic consequences of online abuse.
