ICC Successfully Tests AI Tool to Combat Abuse in Women’s Cricket

The ICC has successfully completed a groundbreaking AI-driven social media moderation trial designed to combat abuse in women’s cricket. This trial, conducted during the T20 Women’s World Cup held in the UAE, sought to create a safer and more inclusive online space for both players and fans. With the rise of digital engagement, particularly on social media platforms, players often face harassment and negative commentary. The initiative was launched with the primary goal of ensuring that the online experience for women cricketers, who are increasingly gaining visibility and popularity, remains supportive and free from harmful content that could undermine their performance and enjoyment of the sport.

Reports from the trial revealed that nearly 20% of all comments posted on player and team accounts were flagged as either abusive or auto-generated by bots. These harmful interactions included various forms of online abuse, such as discriminatory language, personal attacks, and inappropriate remarks. To tackle this issue, the ICC collaborated with the tech company GoBubble to implement an advanced artificial intelligence tool capable of detecting and filtering out such abusive content. The AI tool was specifically designed to target the unique forms of online abuse that women cricketers often face, aiming to create a protective digital environment that shields athletes from toxic comments, allowing them to focus on their performance without the distraction of online harassment. This initiative not only benefits the players but also sends a clear message to fans and followers about the importance of fostering a respectful and inclusive online culture within the cricketing community.

Over 1,495,149 comments across 60 player and eight team social media accounts were analyzed during this trial, revealing that approximately 271,100 posts contained abusive content, including racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of harassment, as reported by *ESPNCricinfo*.

Finn Bradshaw, the ICC’s Head of Digital, emphasized that this initiative was driven by the growing popularity of women’s cricket and the urgent need to ensure female athletes are supported in a safe online space, shielded from the rising harassment that often accompanies their increased visibility.

“The last thing you want is a teenage girl who’s got some talent and ability and then she sees what one of her heroes goes through on social media and thinks, ‘I can’t face that’,” Bradshaw was quoted as saying in the report.

“We know mental health is such a big thing across the world and social media can be terrible for mental health and so anything we can do to make that girl’s decision to play cricket easier, we want to do that.”

“One of the objectives of the ICC is to look at ways in which we can inspire as many women and girls to play cricket as possible,” he added.

The AI tool empowers players to filter out not only general abusive language but also targeted personal attacks, creating a more positive and supportive online environment.

South African keeper-batter Sinalo Jafta, who has been subjected to severe online abuse, now benefits from the added support provided by this AI technology.

Previously, Jafta relied on family members to help her manage and remove harmful comments. With automated moderation now in place, she hopes this tool will encourage players to feel more at ease sharing their content online without fear of harassment.

“That protection for me is very big because players get to share their life with the world without the fear of being judged or criticised,” she said.

“I am looking forward to seeing the changes, people just being free and players can just show the world who they really are.”

“Then we’ll see if there’s demand for this from the male players.”

Women cricketers can sign up for the service until the end of 2025, and a report will soon assess the possibility of extending it to male players.

“We wanted to do a trial and to see how it goes and we will produce a report,” Bradshaw said.

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