The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled a groundbreaking social media moderation initiative aimed at creating a safer online environment for players and teams participating in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, with more than 60 players already enrolled in the program.
The new protection measures, implemented through advanced software technology, represent a significant step forward in the ICC’s commitment to safeguarding the mental well-being of cricket professionals and fostering a more inclusive digital community within the sport.
In partnership with GoBubble, the ICC will deploy a sophisticated combination of artificial intelligence and human monitoring to screen and moderate content across its official social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The system is designed to automatically detect and remove toxic content, including hate speech, harassment, and misogynistic comments.
South Africa’s Sinalo Jafta highlighted the significance of these protective measures, stating, “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.”
“There is nothing worse than opening up your phone after a loss – or after a victory – and regardless of what side you find yourself there is always some degrading comment about your personality,” Jafta added, emphasizing the psychological impact of negative social media interactions on athletes.
The initiative comes as part of a comprehensive digital enhancement package for the tournament, which includes several fan-oriented features. Cricket enthusiasts worldwide will have access to free radio commentary through the ICC match centre, while viewers in select regions, including South-East Asia, continental Europe, and the Pacific Islands, can enjoy free live match streaming via ICC.tv.
ICC Head of Digital, Finn Bradshaw, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative: “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.”
Additional tournament features include an interactive prediction game for the Aramco Player of the Match, comprehensive match statistics, live scores, and behind-the-scenes content. Fans can join the global cricket community using the official hashtag #t20worldcup.
The social media protection service, which players can voluntarily opt into, represents a proactive approach to addressing the growing concern of online harassment in women’s sports. As Jafta noted, “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. I am looking forward to seeing the changes, people just being free and players can just show the world who they really are.”
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