Method and system for protecting a user of one or more social networks or video games against risks of cyberbullying

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for protecting a user of one or more social networks (30) or video games, using a connected device (7), against risks of cyberbullying, comprising carrying out semantic and contextual analysis on accessed or received digital content, employing artificial-intelligence techniques implementing a plurality of brains (C1-C5) each dedicated to a particular cyberbullying theme and operating simultaneously, and carrying out processing of the results of the semantic and contextual analysis in order to detect a cyberbullying situation or a toxicity of all or part of said content. If a cyberbullying situation or a toxicity of digital content is detected, the protection method according to the invention writes (105), to a blockchain (15) on the Web3, a set of data describing this cyberbullying, and masks (104) the display of the toxic digital content on the screen of the connected device (7).

Description

Method and system for protecting a user of one or more social networks or video games against the risk of cyberbullying FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for protecting a user of one or more social networks or video games against the risks of cyberbullying and toxic content. It also relates to a processing system implementing this method.

[0002] The field of invention is more particularly that of the prevention of cyberbullying and online toxicity on social networks. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

[0003] Since the emergence and massive deployment of social networks worldwide, an increasing number of situations of cyberbullying and online toxicity have been observed and parents of children with access to these social networks are helpless in the face of the serious risks that their children may run.

[0004] There are already software tools that aim to detect toxic or cyberbullying messages in the flow of information transmitted via messaging and social networks.

[0005] US11,138,237 B2(IBM) "Social Media Toxicity Analysis" discloses a method for analyzing the toxicity of social media content, including constructing a class model that is representative of a type and level of toxicity associated with the content. A first social media message is analyzed, using a processor and memory, to calculate a first toxicity score associated with the first social media message and assign the first social media message to a first class of the class model. A second social media message is analyzed, using a processor and memory, to calculate a second toxicity score associated with the second social media message and assign the second social media message to a second class of the class model. Based on the first toxicity score, the first class, the second toxicity score, and the second class, a toxicity trend is predicted.In response to the predicted increase in toxicity trend, a corrective action is applied to reduce the toxicity trend.

[0006] US10,915,789 B2 discloses a method and apparatus for detecting offensive content on a portable electronic device, by monitoring communications sent, received or stored on the portable electronic device, and wherein the monitoring comprises collecting content data, classifying content data by calculating an alert score for content data wherein an alert score corresponds to detected offensive content, and sending an alert notification to a second portable electronic device to alert the detection of offensive content on the first portable electronic device.

[0007] US2019 / 0266242 A1 discloses a method for mitigating cyberbullying by accurately intercepting and analyzing the sentiment of social media messages before presenting them to the intended recipient device. Based on the sentiment of the messages and the sender category, abusive messages may be sent to an administrator for review and appropriate action. As a result, such messages may be blocked from the intended recipient device. The system may analyze the sentiment of the messages using a machine learning approach, for example, using a Naive Bayes algorithm. An inference model may be generated via machine learning. The inference model may produce a metric that is used when evaluating the sentiment of the message.

[0008] Document US2021 / 0042830 A1 discloses a digital media system that uses a decentralized communication system to transfer digital data. In some embodiments, the digital data includes digital property, currency, and instructions for executing financial transactions. In some embodiments, the digital media system controls the storage and flow of digital data through specified nodes located in specified jurisdictions.

[0009] Document US2018 / 349502 A1 discloses a method and system for filtering content from a graphical display of a computing device, wherein the content may have an object associated with content identifiers. This method comprises determining, by the computing device and based on an indication of selected filter criteria, a respective weighted probability for the object, and a graphical element for an application based on the weighted probability.

[0010] WO2015 / 095597 A1 discloses a method and system for parents to view and track the activities of their children's smartphones that may include one or more child software modules. The module, which may be installed on each child's smartphone, may view and retrieve data regarding several other software applications on the smartphone, including at least two of the following: an SMS application, a social media application, an image application that facilitates the transmission or reception of images, and a web browser application.

[0011] Document US2015 / 095014 A1 discloses a method for selecting and evaluating content. A content classification platform processes content directed to or from a user to determine one or more items in the content. The content rating platform calculates a content rating for the content by comparing the one or more items to at least one user-configurable dictionary, and then selects an operation to process the content based on the content rating.

[0012] WO2022 / 055546 A1 discloses a method, system, and product for filtering unwanted social media content in real-time. The system includes ensembles of machine learning classifiers for filtering unwanted content across multiple media. Classifiers are trained with labeled data. After being trained, the models filter incoming data in real-time either on a server or on a mobile device.

[0013] But it is clear that the tools currently offered do not provide the efficiency and ergonomics needed for users of social networks and parents of minors accessing these networks.

[0014] The aim of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks and limitations by proposing a new method for online processing of cyberbullying or toxic content which presents a better level of efficiency and ergonomics than existing tools.

[0015] Here we mean a computer model, based on the simulation of the activity of populations of neurons, which possesses or develops cognitive faculties similar to biological brains.

[0016] Blockchain is understood to mean a register, a large database which has the particularity of being shared simultaneously with all its users, all of whom are also holders of this register, and who also all have the capacity to enter data into it, according to specific rules set by a very well-secured computer protocol thanks to cryptography, with reference to the definition given in the "Report of the joint information mission on the blockchain (block chain) and its uses: a sovereignty issue."

[0017] [https: / www2.assemblee-nationale.fr / static / 15 / commissions / CFinances / blockchain-synthese.pdf?v=1692355067].

[0018] This objective is achieved with a method for protecting a user of one or more social networks or video games against the risk of cyberbullying, this user having equipment connected to a communication network to access digital content from said social network(s) or video game(s) or to receive digital content from one or more other users of said social network(s) or video game(s), comprising: a semantic and contextual analysis of said digital content accessed or received, implementing artificial intelligence techniques, processing of the results of semantic and contextual analysis to detect a situation of cyberbullying or toxicity of all or part of said content, implementing a database of predetermined situations, in the event of detection of a situation of cyberbullying or toxicity of digital content,masking the display of toxic digital content on the screen of connected equipment,

[0019] characterized in that it is implemented in a dedicated server capable of being connected, via said communication network, with said social or video game networks,

[0020] and in that it further comprises, in the event of detection of a situation of cyberbullying or toxicity of digital content, an entry in a blockchain of a set of descriptive data of this cyberbullying, and in that the semantic and contextual analysis implements a plurality of brains each dedicated to a particular cyberbullying theme and operating simultaneously, each of said brains being designed to detect, after analysis, a word, a transcription of a voice message, an expression or an Emoji belonging to the theme associated with it.

[0021] Descriptive data of cyberbullying or content toxicity can be edited in the form of a reporting report.

[0022] The protection method according to the invention may further comprise a prior check of the identity of the user to be protected, implementing encryption of the identity data entered by this user from the connected equipment, and implementing decentralized software tools on the Web3.

[0023] The protection method according to the invention may further comprise a step for accessing, from a second connected device, digital content received and detected as being cyberbullying or toxic on a first connected device, as well as a step for entering, from the connected device, a mention of one or more social networks or video game networks on which protection is sought.

[0024] When the protection method according to the invention is applied to participation in an online video game, the semantic and contextual analysis steps are further configured to detect a toxicity situation in this video game.

[0025] According to another aspect of the invention, a system is proposed for protecting a user of one or more social networks or video games against the risk of cyberbullying, this user having equipment connected to a communication network to access digital content from said social network(s) or video game(s) or to receive digital content from one or more other users of said social network(s) or video game(s), implementing the protection method according to the invention, this system comprising: means for carrying out a semantic and contextual analysis of said digital content accessed or received, implementing artificial intelligence techniques, means for processing the results of semantic and contextual analysis to detect a situation of cyberbullying or toxicity of all or part of said content, implementing a database of predetermined situations,in the event of detection of a situation of cyberbullying or toxicity of digital content, means to mask the display of toxic digital content or cyberbullying on the screen of the connected equipment,

[0026] characterized in that it is implemented in a dedicated server capable of being connected, via said communication network, with said video game social networks, and in that it further comprises means for entering into a blockchain, a set of descriptive data of this cyberbullying, and in that the means of semantic and contextual analysis comprise a plurality of brains each dedicated to a particular cyberbullying theme and operating simultaneously, each of said brains being designed to detect, after analysis, a word, a transcription of a voice message, an expression or an Emoji belonging to the theme associated with it.

[0027] The protection system according to the invention can be advantageously implemented within a dedicated server communicating via one or more communication networks, on the one hand, with one or more platforms operating social network services and, on the other hand, with a plurality of connected devices accessing these social network services and for which protection against cyberbullying is sought.

[0028] It may also include means for sending a notification of detection of a cyberbullying situation to a dedicated platform.

[0029] The treatment method according to the invention is advantageously implemented in the form of an application for combating cyberbullying and online toxicity, which can be downloaded onto any device (mobile / tablet / PC / console).

[0030] Using artificial intelligence, the process masks the toxicity of social media posts by its users and the hate they may receive. It semantically and contextually analyzes conversations to produce results that align with the user's wishes.

[0031] If a user faces real cyberbullying problems, the application implementing the method according to the invention supports them in their legal procedures and certifies their data to establish a file for filing a complaint with the competent authorities. The application is also there to help the victim find an association specialized in the fight against online toxicity.

[0032] The application is also suitable for online gamers for whom toxicity is recurrent by integrating itself on the platforms on which they are connected as well as on video games allowing the solution to act.

[0033] The app also allows users and their designated guardians to be notified if they emit inappropriate contextual elements that could be considered toxic by their receivers.

[0034] This application is built using software tools available in the AWS universe, according to the architecture below:

[0035] The processing method according to the invention implements: an application fully designed for deployment on Web3, multi-support and multi-social networks, an AI implementing a plurality of brains each assigned to the detection of a particular typology of cyberbullying content, in contrast to the usual practice of using a single brain, assistance in the automatic editing of reporting reports and registration of reports of all types of content (image / text / video / file) in a blockchain. DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0036] Lais a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system for protecting against cyberbullying according to the invention;Laillustrates the main steps of an exemplary embodiment of the protection method according to the invention;Laillustrates an example of software architecture implemented in a protection system according to the invention;Larepresents an example of a user interface providing a protected user with a summary of the operations for detecting cyberbullying situations and toxic content;Larepresents an example of a user interface providing a supervisory user with a summary of the operations for detecting cyberbullying situations and toxic content to which one or more relatives, in particular minors, could have been exposed;Larepresents an example of a user interface providing a protected user with blocking and reporting functions in response to a detection of cyberbullying or toxic content;Larepresents an example of a user interface providing a video game user with a dashboard of the detection operations carried out by the protection method according to the invention.;

[0037] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0038] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a system 1 for protection against cyberbullying according to the invention is implemented in a server 13 with which a database 14 is associated, and is connected via a shared network to a digital cloud 2 (usually referred to as the Cloud) connecting a set of social network platforms 5 (or social media) including for example, but not limited to, Discord®, Tweeter®, Instagram®, TikTok® or Facebook®, and video game platforms 4 such as the Steam® platform.

[0039] The method of protection against cyberbullying according to the invention is used in a set of digital communication devices connected to the Cloud 2, such as smartphones 6-9,12 or tablets 10, in which a dedicated application has been installed. Some of these smartphones 8,9 can be connected to the resources of the Cloud 2 via a router 11.

[0040] The mission of the Cyberbullying Protection System 1 according to the invention will be to protect users of smartphones or tablets 6-10 equipped with the protection application, against the malicious actions of people or organizations from servers 5 connected to the Cloud 2 and seeking to harm these users through one or more social networks or one or more video game platforms.

[0041] We will now describe, with reference to the, an example of implementation of the method of protection against cyberbullying according to the invention. It is assumed that a dedicated application has been downloaded by a user of a smartphone 7 from a protection server 1 implementing the protection method according to the invention.

[0042] From this application providing a graphical interface on the screen of the user's smartphone 7 or on the screen of a smartphone 12 of a user who is the parent or close friend of a minor user, access 100 to an account of the user of a social network, for example the Discord network, is requested from the server 30 managing this network.

[0043] Once the server 13 managing the protection process has obtained access to the protected user's Discord social network account, a semantic and functional analysis 101 of the content received on this user account will be carried out, either permanently or periodically according to a predetermined frequency. This analysis is carried out directly at the protection server before the analyzed content can be viewed from the user's smartphone 7.

[0044] This 101 analysis uses a set of artificial brains C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, each assigned a particular category of cyberbullying or toxicity.

[0045] An artificial brain is a computer model, based on the simulation of the activity of populations of neurons, which possesses or develops cognitive faculties similar to biological brains.

[0046] If a malicious server 5 sends a cyberbullying or toxic message to the protected user, one of the brains C1-C5 will detect 103, after analysis, a word, a transcription of a voice message, an expression or an Emoji belonging to one of the categories associated with each of these brains.

[0047] The protection server 13 will then mask 104 the message detected as being cyberbullying or toxic content, so that this message or content will not be accessed by the protected user on the screen of their smartphone 7.

[0048] This is followed by a step 105 of recording descriptive data of this detection of cyberbullying or toxicity in a blockchain 15 accessible by the protection server 13 via the Cloud 2 and a step 106 of editing a reporting report 107 intended to be transmitted to an administrative or official authority responsible for combating cyberbullying.

[0049] Detection data may include, for example, the content of the intercepted message, the date, time and origin (if technically possible) of that message.

[0050] In a configuration of the invention dedicated to the protection of minor users under the supervision of a parent, several options for implementing the protection method according to the invention can be provided.

[0051] The protection method according to the invention can be constructed, without limitation, from a software architecture 20 such as that represented by the. Several basic modules of this software architecture can come from the AWS (Amazon Web Services) software offering.

[0052] The software architecture 20 implements a DNS domain name system 21, associated with SSL certificate management 23 and a CDN content distribution network for the management and hosting 25 of the website implementing the protection method according to the invention,

[0053] This website is built using a Web Framework 27 driving a consent management module 24 and an identity and personal access management module 29.

[0054] The core of the software architecture 20 includes an Image Container module 34, made for example from a GraphQL Framework in Python, which is powered by a Docker Image Registry 28.

[0055] This container 34 controls a payment service module 35, an image recognition module 30 controlled by the identity and personal access management module 29, a natural language inference engine NLP (for Natural Language Processing) 36, a module 31 for managing identities and access to social networks which will be protected and a NoSQL database 37.

[0056] The social network identity and access management module 31 controls, via authorization tokens, a serverless computing module 32 which directly addresses each of the social networks 21 (for example WhatsApp), 33 (for example Messenger) which are targeted by the protection method according to the invention. It is understood that these social networks may include, without limitation, as illustrated, the Discord, Tweeter, Instagram, TikTok or Facebook networks.

[0057] The NLP natural language inference engine 36 drives an NLP Machine Learning module 41, an NLP personalized learning module 42 which can address on demand a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) learning module 44 which can be activated by a scheduling module 45.

[0058] The NoSQL database 37 powers a data integration engine 38 which feeds a data warehouse 39 provided with a module 40 of key performance indicators and a non-mutable database (for Non-Mutable Database) or a blockchain 15.

[0059] We will now describe, with reference to figures 4 to 7, several practical examples of graphical user interfaces generated on the screen of protected users or of a supervisor, by implementing the protection method according to the invention.

[0060] The user interface 50 represented by corresponds to what a protected user will be able to view on the screen of his smartphone: it contains a graphic summary 51, for example in a circular form, illustrating the percentages of toxic messages 54 and blocked messages 55. The protected user can access the summary data for each of the social networks 52 to which he is subscribed and a list 53 of the latest blocked messages.

[0061] The supervisor, for example a parent or an adult relative, can, with reference to the visualize a user interface 60 on which he will be able to consult, for each of the protected users 62,63 whom he supervises, a summary 61 of the percentages of toxic and blocked messages 64,65.

[0062] Each time a cyberbullying situation or toxic content is detected, the protected user - or their supervisor - will be able to view on their smartphone a user interface 70 "Defend me" offering a "Block" action 71 allowing the blocking of the user sending this message and a "Pharos Report" action 72 allowing a legal file to be created and a reporting report to be edited from the detection information recorded by the protection method according to the invention.

[0063] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment that has just been described, and many other embodiments can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, the number of artificial brains implemented in the protection method according to the invention is not limited to what has just been described. Furthermore, the structure of the detection data intended to be recorded in the blockchain can be of any nature, depending on the effectiveness of the semantic and contextual analysis techniques that are implemented. The same applies to the structure and practical content of the reporting reports.

Claims

Method for protecting a user of one or more social networks (3) or video games (4), against risks of cyberbullying, this user having equipment (6-10) connected to a communication network (2) to access digital content from said social network(s) (3) or video games (4) or to receive digital content from one or more other users of said social network(s) (3) or video games (4), comprising:- a semantic and contextual analysis (101) of said digital content accessed or received, implementing artificial intelligence techniques,- a processing (103) of the results of semantic and contextual analysis to detect a situation of cyberbullying or a toxicity of all or part of said content, implementing a database of predetermined situations,- in the event of detection of a situation of cyberbullying or a toxicity of digital content,a masking (104) of the display of toxic digital content on the screen of the connected equipment (6-10), characterized in that it is implemented in a dedicated server capable of being connected, via said communication network (2), with said social networks or video games, and in that it further comprises, in the event of detection of a situation of cyberbullying or toxicity of digital content, an entry (105) in a blockchain (15), of a set of descriptive data of this cyberbullying, and in that the semantic and contextual analysis implements a plurality of brains (C1-C5) each dedicated to a particular cyberbullying theme and operating simultaneously, each of said brains (C1-C5) being designed to detect (103), after analysis, a word, a transcription of a voice message, an expression or an Emoji belonging to the theme associated with it., Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the descriptive data of cyberbullying or content toxicity are edited (106) in the form of a reporting report (107). Protection method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a prior check of the identity of the user to be protected, implementing encryption of the identity data entered by this user from the connected equipment. Protection method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it implements decentralized software tools on Web3. Protection method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a step for accessing from a second connected device (12) digital content received and detected as relating to cyberbullying or toxic on a first connected device (6-10). Protection method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a step for entering from the connected equipment (6-10) a mention of one or more social networks (3) or video game platforms (4) on which protection is sought. Protection method according to any one of the preceding claims, applied to participation in an online video game (4), characterized in that the steps of semantic and contextual analysis and processing are further configured to detect a cheating situation in this video game. System (1) for protecting a user of one or more social networks (3) or video games (4), against risks of cyberbullying, this user having equipment (6-10) connected to a communication network (2) to access digital content from said social network(s) (3) or video games (4) or to receive digital content from one or more other users of said social network(s) or video games, implementing the protection method according to any one of the preceding claims, this system comprising: - means (13) for carrying out a semantic and contextual analysis of said digital content accessed or received, implementing artificial intelligence techniques, - means (13) for processing the results of semantic and contextual analysis to detect a situation of cyberbullying or a toxicity of all or part of said content,implementing a database (14) of predetermined situations,- in the event of detection of a situation of cyberbullying or toxicity of digital content,- means for masking the display of the toxic digital content on the screen of the connected equipment (6-10).characterized in that it is implemented in a dedicated server capable of being connected, via said communication network, with said video game social networks, and in that it further comprises means for recording in a blockchain (15), a set of descriptive data of this cyberbullying, and in that the semantic and contextual analysis means comprise a plurality of brains (C1-C5) each dedicated to a particular cyberbullying theme and operating simultaneously, each of said brains (C1-C5) being designed to detect (103), after analysis, a word, a transcription of a voice message, an expression or an Emoji belonging to the theme associated with it., Protection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is implemented within a dedicated server communicating via one or more communication networks (2), on the one hand, with one or more operating platforms of social network services (3) and, on the other hand, with a plurality of connected devices (6-10, 12) accessing these social network services and for which protection against cyberbullying is sought. Protection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises means for transmitting to a dedicated platform a notification of detection of a cyberbullying situation.

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