The Washington Post is also using AI for comments

Adam Tinworth
Adam Tinworth

Looks like the “AI for comments” trend is on the match:

The Washington Post has launched ModBot, a software application that utilizes artificial intelligence to moderate comments. The proprietary technology uses machine learning to automatically filter comments that require human moderating, flag stories that require real-time monitoring, and approve or delete comments based on The Post’s discussion policy. The technology evaluates comments using an algorithm that has been trained by The Post’s years-long history of human-moderated comments.

Note that it’s a proprietary technology. Interesting how the Post seems to be investing in serious tech under Bezos ownership. That doesn’t mean that there’s no collaboration going on, though:

Later this summer, The Post will pair ModBot with Talk, the comment management and moderation software developed by The Coral Project, a collaboration between The Post, The New York Times, and Mozilla funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Great to see innovation in reader interaction, rather than withdrawal from it.

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Adam is a lecturer, trainer and writer. He's been a blogger for over 20 years, and a journalist for more than 30. He lectures on audience strategy and engagement at City, University of London.

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