FIFA detects 7 million abusive comments aimed at players, staff during World Cup
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Players holding a pennant displaying an anti-racism message during the World Cup group match between Canada and Qatar on June 18.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- FIFA's Social Media Protection Service detected over seven million abusive posts during the World Cup, 14 times more than in 2022.
- The service reviewed over half a million AI-flagged messages and reported more than 1,000 threats to authorities.
- Since the World Cup start, SMPS has moderated 53 million posts, with racial abuse making up 11% of offensive messages.
AI generated
NEW YORK – FIFA’s Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which aims to protect players, teams and officials from online threats and abuse, has detected more than seven million potentially harmful or abusive posts on social media during the World Cup, the global soccer body said on July 18.
FIFA said the detection rate was 14 times higher than the 2022 edition, during which 470,000 such posts were removed.
The SMPS team have reviewed more than half a million AI-detected messages targeting players, coaches and officials during the ongoing World Cup. They have reported more than 1,000 threats to the authorities including law enforcement.
The SMPS has moderated more than 53 million posts and comments since the start of the World Cup, which culminates on July 19 with a clash between Argentina and Spain.
FIFA said the detection rate was 14 times higher than the 2022 edition, during which 470,000 such posts were removed.
Earlier in July, FIFA said racial abuse accounted for 11 per cent of detected offensive messages during the World Cup so far. REUTERS
