Protecting A Modern Audience From Offensive Entertainment Using AI

If you love watching the latest movies and shows, especially during the pandemic, then this case study by Paul Larkin and his team is for you.

For some viewers, these elements serve to drive the storyline, enriching the overall experience and helping you experience certain characters through a new lens. For others, these mature themes can be upsetting and triggering.

In today’s world, there’s no reason why a modern audience shouldn’t be able to quickly identify whether or not a movie is for them before they watch it. This is what Paul Larkin and his team were trying to solve during one of the HackTheHub and Slice Hackathon events: Trigger Free!

The main challenge of the hackathon was how they could use open source data and AI/ML to develop innovative technology to solve problems. Given the short period, Paul and his team had to do a quick research and ask mentors for help in creating this website/app.

Why Trigger Free?

Developing Trigger Free helped them identify many issues that face a modern audience. These include: 

1. Unclear Ratings/Broad Classification: The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) provides us with broad rating guidelines. However, these guidelines don’t reveal why exactly something is rated the way it is. More importantly, broad classifications such as those outlining “violence” in a film don’t illustrate whether the violence comes in the form of fighting or more sensitive topics like sexual assault. 

2. “Suitable” Content Isn’t Always Suitable: Children’s movies or content deemed suitable for a younger audience isn’t always what it seems. The lack of transparency as to exactly what themes are included in movies makes it difficult for those in authority positions to determine what is appropriate to show and what’s not. 

3. No Transparency For Teachers And Parents: A lack of transparency makes it harder to know if children are consuming safe content on their own. If they decide to watch a movie, is that movie okay? Or were they subjected to certain themes that aren’t appropriate for their age group?

The reality is that all audience members need a solution that helps them better understand what they’re consuming before hitting the play button. 

If Paul and his team can pull out something like this, then you can too! That is why we are encouraging you to join our #HackTheHub Hackathon events. We’re always excited to see and meet amazing and talented people like you! Feel free to join our Discord here.

If you want to know more about their case study, feel free to check out Paul Larkin’s Behance profile.