Chicago Sky and Moonshot: Alliance against online harassment of WNBA players

Chicago Sky partners with tech company to combat online harassment

The Chicago Sky women’s basketball team has announced a collaboration with a technology company to combat online harassment targeting players and coaches. This initiative seeks to protect athletes from cyberbullying, a growing problem in the world of sports. The company chosen by the team is Moonshot, a firm founded by national security experts. Their goal is to eradicate online abuse and violence, using advanced technology to identify and remove harmful content, assess risks, and take measures to mitigate harm. This association makes the Sky the first WNBA team to collaborate with Moonshot. The agreement was finalized after the season opener, where incidents occurred that raised concerns about the safety of the players.

“Our system detected atrocious behavior coming from an individual obsessed with Caitlin Clark,” stated Vidhya Ramalingam, CEO of Moonshot. “He alternated between romantically obsessive posts and delusional posts, including threats of violence.”

Vidhya Ramalingam, CEO of Moonshot

Moonshot CEO Vidhya Ramalingam explained that the company identified threatening posts directed at Caitlin Clark, which led to the arrest of a man in January in Indianapolis, accused of harassment. This case of harassment against Clark occurred a month after a man pleaded guilty to harassing Paige Bueckers, while she was playing for UConn. Moonshot points out that 92% of women in public life suffer online abuse, and 31% of this harassment is sexual in nature. The collaboration between Sky and Moonshot reflects the organization’s commitment to the health and safety of the players, including their mental well-being.

“Hate and harassment have no place in sports,” stated Nadia Rawlinson, co-owner and president of operations for the Sky. “Our partnership with Moonshot seeks to proactively address hate, harassment, and abuse online on social media and the dark web, so that our players and coaches can focus on basketball and delight our fans around the world.”

Nadia Rawlinson, co-owner and president of operations for the Sky

Rawlinson added that female athletes, especially women of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, face disproportionate amounts of online harassment and threats of violence. According to Rawlinson, these incidents are increasing as women’s sports, sports betting, and the use of artificial intelligence grow.