By: Katelyn Wei

Tennis stars always get mean comments online. The players who are targeted by these mean jeers are mostly Black. A new AI technology is changing this.

Tournament organizers are contributing a tool using AI for players to stop cyberbullying from reaching their social media feeds. This app can detect mean comments, who they were aimed at, and define the meaning of the message.

American tennis star Sloane Stephens, who is Black, states that she had received spiteful messages since she started her career. “My entire career, it’s never stopped. If anything, it’s only gotten worse,” she said. Although she banned a lot of keywords on Instagram, it didn’t stop someone from typing them in a different way, which most of the time software doesn’t catch.

Another tennis star, Frances Tiafoe, says he receives death threats via social media after he loses professional tennis matches. “Everybody gets them after a loss,” he said, “It’s just how society is today. I know how that affects people’s mental health. That’s very real.”

However, free speech advocates are worried about technology screening their comments before they are allowed to be posted. This could lead to prior restraint, where the government stops one from exercising their right to free speech.

The app has earned praise from professional players, such as Swiatek, who is using it. She checks what viewers thought of her matches after tournaments. She, who has recently secured her place in the semi-finals, is hoping that it can bring joy back to social media.