Angel Reese is no stranger to online hate, and now she’s leading the charge to block it for good. With women’s sports booming, the surge in online harassment has also grown, targeting female athletes with ruthless comments.
According to a report by The Net, a mental health network for women in sports, a staggering 87% of female athletes have experienced online abuse in the past year. But Reese and the Chicago Sky are spearheading a groundbreaking solution to tackle this.
In a powerful new campaign, Reese joins forces with The Net and agency BarkleyOKRP to unveil a cutting-edge AI tool that blocks toxic comments on social media.
The initiative, dubbed “Block the Negativity, Post Up Positivity,” is currently in beta testing with the Chicago Sky players and aims to shield athletes from harmful content on their X (formerly Twitter) feeds.
At the forefront of this revolutionary effort is Angel Reese herself, who knows the impact of online abuse firsthand. From her college days at LSU to her debut season with the Chicago Sky, Reese has faced an onslaught of racist and misogynistic comments.
In the campaign’s video, Reese and her teammates-including Chennedy Carter, Isabelle Harrison, and Brianna Turner-are seen smashing hateful messages on and off the court, symbolizing their fight against cyber-bullying.
“Our developers were shocked at the level of hate that Angel receives,” said Rony Castor, BarkleyOKRP’s group creative director. “It’s alarming and heartbreaking.”
The AI tool automatically detects harmful comments and blurs them out, displaying the message, “Negativity Blocked.” It allows players to stay focused on their game, mentally and emotionally, without the constant barrage of negativity.
The initiative is already gaining traction, with Reese’s fellow players and Chicago Sky head coach Theresa Weatherspoon cheering her on. The WNBA’s rising popularity, with tripled viewership this season, has brought both support and hate.
The league recognized the need to protect its players’ mental health and invested in this AI tool to combat the growing issue of cyber-bullying.