In a groundbreaking move, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) has announced its plan to provide players participating in the French Open with artificial intelligence (AI) protection against social media abuse.
The FFT has partnered with AI technology provider Bodyguard to implement a pioneering initiative aimed at filtering out abusive comments on popular social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Bodyguard's advanced system can analyze and moderate comments in real-time, with responses evaluated in under 200 milliseconds. Care will be taken to ensure that the filtering process is balanced and appropriate.
Professional tennis players have frequently highlighted the distressing messages they receive, particularly after losses, often originating from disgruntled gamblers who have wagered on their matches.
"In our commitment to prioritize players' mental well-being, the FFT has decided to collaborate with Bodyguard to combat cyberbullying," stated the FFT in an official release. "A team of linguists has developed word patterns that allow the system to be continuously updated in response to social media posts, enabling a more contextual analysis." The technology will be employed to safeguard the official FFT and Roland Garros social media accounts, as well as the accounts of players who choose to opt for this protection throughout the grand slam tournament and for at least one week following its conclusion.
"The mental health of our players is of utmost importance to the Roland Garros tournament. We unequivocally condemn any form of violence at our event," affirmed Caroline Flaissier, Director of the FFT. "We are immensely proud to be the first grand slam tournament to offer players an efficient solution to shield them from cyberbullying."
Flaissier emphasized the tournament's commitment to protecting players from harmful online behavior, enabling them to compete in an environment that nurtures their mental well-being. With this significant initiative, the French Open sets a new precedent in the world of tennis by actively addressing the issue of online abuse and providing support to its participants.