Threat Matrix to Protect Olympians from Cyber 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is exploring an AI system, Threat Matrix, to monitor and analyze online abuse targeting athletes and officials during the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The Olympics is now the most talked-about topic globally, and currently on social media. Given the enormous volume of posts related to the event, officials and athletes are inevitably exposed to both praise and criticism. 

Mental Health at the 2024 Paris Olympics 

Recently, the Olympics have prioritized the mental health of athletes, placing high priority for their wellbeing, as sports are being more and more involved in social media. 

“Interpersonal violence is something that can be perpetuated in physical form, but it can also be perpetuated online, and what we’re seeing across society is online abuse and vitriol is getting higher,” said Kirsty Burrows, head of the Safe Sport Unit at the IOC.  

Being exposed to abusive content can significantly impact one’s health, especially under pressure. So, offering support by any means became an urgent need this year. 

Threat Matrix to the Rescue  

To address this ongoing and growing issue, the IOC is considering adopting Threat Matrix, an advanced AI system designed to filter large volumes of social media posts and identify abusive content. 

Threat Matrix can also analyze emotions to understand how an athlete reacts to a post, helping it differentiate between abusive and non-abusive comments. The AI system can filter posts in more than 35 languages and collaborates with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X. 

While AI handles the bulk of the process, human intervention remains crucial. After Threat Matrix identifies a post, a team of experts review it to ensure the context is well understood. They then take the proper measures, such as offering support to the affected athlete, requesting the removal of harmful posts, or contacting law enforcement when appropriate. 

Final Thoughts 

Threat Matrix is a major step forward necessary in tackling online abuse and cyberbullying, affecting not only the sports field but also every other user in their digital world.  

While such tools cannot eliminate the need for human intervention, such a development shows that technology can be harnessed for good, provided it is done so in a safer and more supportive environment.  

Combining AI and human efforts together will be vital in understanding and creating comprehensive approaches to sensitive topics, such as online abuse. 

Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Intelligent Tech sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.