Overwolf invests in an AI-driven anti-cyberbully app

pcgamesn.com:

Overwolf keeps a robust lineup of in-game apps offering a range of functionality to add to your favourite games. (Hey, you should check out the PCGN Overwolf app while you’re here.) Now the folks behind Overwolf are investing in Kidas, a company developing an AI-driven app to help prevent cyberbullying in multiplayer games.

“This partnership perfectly aligns to Overwolf’s stance on responsible gameplay and supports our core values of gaming safe and with integrity,” Overwolf’s VP of business development says in a statement to VentureBeat. Kidas’s app supports about 120 games, and Overwolf plans to expand that to the 9,000 games in its own library.

As the devs explain on the official site, “Kidas is a tool to help you identify and address any dangerous situations that your child may encounter while interacting with others in video games, from cyberbullying to predatory behavior. Kidas analyzes your child’s gaming activity and in-game communication to alert you of any potentially concerning situations.”

Kidas uses an algorithm trained on real-world examples of cyberbullying and predatory behaviour. It doesn’t just work as a text chat filter – it also monitors voice communications, and lets parents know if something’s off with the people their kids are interacting with online.