Modulate is on a mission to make online interactions safer and more enjoyable for everyone. Which is why we couldn’t think of a better partner than ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), the world’s leading anti-hate organization. ADL has spent over a century fighting antisemitism and hate, and its Center for Technology and Society (CTS) works to combat misinformation and toxicity in online spaces.
Modulate is now an official ADL Corporate Partner Against Hate
This partnership will support ADL’s Center for Technology and Society (CTS) and help to advance their work to combat hate in online gaming spaces. Since early 2017, CTS has led the charge against cyberhate across the industry and in society. CTS convenes key stakeholders such as technology companies (that’s us!), NGOs and academics to address online hate and creates inclusive, welcoming digital spaces, through creative leadership, big bets, industry partnerships, and cutting-edge research.
Like Modulate, ADL recognizes the potential positive impact that digital spaces and online communities can provide but acknowledges that there need to be far more structured and purposeful approaches to keeping interactions in those spaces from becoming toxic. ADL has conducted important and influential research in this arena, including a report on Harassment and Positive Social Experiences in Online Games, a look into Exposure to Alternative & Extremist Content on YouTube, and a recent survey titled “Online Hate and Harassment: The American Experience 2022.”
Modulate Partnership Will Help ADL Expand its Research Capabilities
With expanded resources and access to Modulate’s network of industry experts, ADL will be able to double down on its recent research and invest in longer-term research projects as well as in-the-moment responses to gaming news from an anti-hate lens. As part of this effort, ADL will be positioned to extend its team focused on generating research that helps the public, industry, academia, government, and civil society to understand the problem of hate and harassment in online games and also to actively explore potential solutions to those problems.
Daniel Kelley, Director of Strategy and Operations at CTS, had this to say about our partnership: “ADL is thrilled to partner with Modulate to advance our shared goals of a hate-free digital world. Digital spaces, especially online gaming communities, offer wonderful opportunities for entertainment and positive interpersonal experiences but have the potential to become havens of online hate, with over 80% of adult gamers experiencing harassment.”
ADL will provide invaluable insight and visibility for Modulate
ADL’s research and insights are second to none. As ADL’s Center continues to expand their research in the games industry, Modulate will be able to apply these learnings in the continued development of ToxMod and other products designed to help studios and development teams fight hate online. We’ve already learned and benefitted immensely from the ADL’s existing research in the space and can’t wait to see what’s coming next.
With ADL’s network and connections, Modulate’s team will be able to have more meaningful conversations with leaders and influencers in Trust & Safety, Player Safety, Player Insights, and across the rest of the games industry – and beyond. The advanced machine learning frameworks and voice-native moderation technology that power ToxMod have applications well beyond traditional video games, and we’re excited to work alongside the ADL to help reduce online toxicity at an even bigger scale.
