Business & Finance
Chicago Sky hires national security experts to monitor online abuse and threats against players
The franchise partnered with PERIL and threat intelligence firm Moonshot as WNBA athletes face increased targeted harassment.
The short version
- The Chicago Sky became the first WNBA team to partner with national security and threat intelligence organizations to counter escalating online abuse.
- The team hired threat intelligence company Moonshot to monitor threats using former counter-terrorism technology, and partnered with PERIL to launch a public campaign against misogynistic rhetoric.
- The initiative addresses a broader surge in identity-based harassment targeting female athletes, which disproportionately affects Black and LGBTQ+ players.
- The impact of the new threat-monitoring technology and community intervention campaign will be tested as the league finishes its regular season.
Key facts
- The Chicago Sky partnered with American University's Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) and threat intelligence company Moonshot to monitor and counter harassment.[NPR]
- Moonshot was hired to track online threats against Sky players using technology originally developed for government counter-terrorism efforts.[NPR]
- The Sky and PERIL launched the "Be the Sixth Player" campaign to help fans identify and disrupt misogynistic rhetoric.[NPR]
- Moonshot data showed that 90% of threats tracked during recent Olympic games targeted women athletes and 80% targeted people of color.[NPR]
- WNBA players across the league, including Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham, have faced severe harassment, leading to criminal charges and prison sentences for stalkers.[NPR]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unknown how effective the national security-level monitoring tools and public intervention programs will be at curbing online harassment across the league.[NPR]