[Sports Seoul | Reporter Kwonhyang Pyo] Naver said it will begin automatically disabling comments on articles that exceed a set threshold of malicious remarks for a limited period, starting on the 23rd. The move applies to articles across all sections, and the company’s AI-driven detection tool, Cleanbot, will identify the abusive comments.
Launched in 2019 as an industry first, Cleanbot has been updated continuously to detect profanity, sexually explicit or violent language, and hateful, derogatory or discriminatory expressions. Naver plans another AI model upgrade for Cleanbot at the end of April.
When an article crosses the threshold for abusive comments, Naver will display a notice reading, “Cleanbot has detected a large number of malicious comments and does not provide comment services,” alongside a Green Internet campaign banner.
Kim Su-hyang, a Naver leader, said, “Last month, we stopped displaying comments at the bottom of articles in the politics and elections sections and have been enhancing Cleanbot so the comment area can become a healthier space for dialogue. We will continue to gather diverse viewpoints and refine our services to respond to rapidly evolving forms of malicious commentary.”
In February, Naver introduced a “memorial comments” feature for articles about disasters, calamities and obituaries to help prevent secondary harm to victims and the deceased and to give readers a respectful way to express sympathy. About 23 news outlets have adopted the feature so far; users send condolences by clicking a button that posts, “We offer our deepest condolences.” gioia@sportsseoul.com
