Yahoo Japan: Fighting Online Bullies with Digital Kung Fu
June 17, 2020
Yahoo Japan promises AI tools to “Bruce Lee” cyber bullying
Hateful messages can turn social media into a truly toxic environment. Prompted by a high-profile suicide, Yahoo Japan vows to provide stronger AI tools to thwart online bullying. Kyodo News reports, “Yahoo to Offer Social Media Firms AI Tech that Detects Abusive Posts.” Wow—will it work? It is hard to tell just yet, for the article is short on details. We’re told:
“Yahoo Japan Corp. said … it will provide social media firms with artificial intelligence technology that can detect abusive and other inappropriate online posts following the death of a Japanese professional wrestler and reality TV star that is believed to be linked to cyber-bullying. The internet portal site operator announced the measure after Hana Kimura, 22, a cast member of the popular reality show ‘Terrace House,’ was found dead in a suspected suicide late last month after becoming a target of hateful messages on social media. Following her death, the Japanese government is also considering revising a law to simplify procedures for identifying individuals who make defamatory online posts, aiming to compile draft legislation by the end of the year.”
The site already deletes about 20,000 out of 290,000 comments posted to its news portal each day, but that number includes both abusive posts and those that have low correlation with the source article. The company promises to step up its vetting, but it must first explore the legal issues around deleting posts. It plans to do so soon, we’re told. The one-inch punch of death will be delivered. Will it really kill? Nope.
Cynthia Murrell, June 17, 2020
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