AI Moderation Reveals Majority of Oilers Superfans During Playoffs Were Women
Areto Labs' new report shows that removing toxic content created space for safer, more inclusive engagement—driving record participation from women fans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Edmonton, Canada — Areto Labs, a Canadian women-founded technology company pioneering AI-driven content moderation, has released a new report detailing its work with the Edmonton Oilers during the team’s 2024 Stanley Cup playoff run. The collaboration revealed how rapid spikes in engagement during high-stakes sporting moments also bring an influx of spam, scams, and targeted abuse—and how Areto’s software neutralized the harm in real time.
As fan excitement reached new heights, so did the volume of online interaction: the Oilers’ content team saw a 4x increase in comment volume during key games, along with a 600% rise in spam and scam content. Areto’s AI engine scanned, flagged, and removed thousands of harmful comments across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok—ensuring that the team’s channels remained focused, positive, and fan-first.
“Without Areto, the Oilers’ team would have had to triple in size or work 24/7 to stay on top of it all,” said Kasey Machin, Co-Founder and COO of Areto Labs. “This playoff run showed just how essential real-time digital safety is—not just during crises, but during success.”
A standout insight from the analysis: the majority of the team’s most loyal and engaged fans were women. Removing toxic and hostile comments made space for these superfans to participate, celebrate, and build momentum—something that would have been lost in a hostile environment.
The report outlines how Areto’s automated moderation enabled:
Real-time removal of spam and scam comments promoting ticket fraud and illegal streams
Protection for fan communities and athletes during emotional, high-volume conversations
Accurate, data-backed insights into how success fuels both celebration and toxicity online
A scalable alternative to costly, manual moderation—especially during peak engagement
“Digital momentum should never be disrupted by online harm,” said Machin. “This report gives teams across sport a playbook to protect their platforms without compromising connection or growth.”
The findings offer essential guidance for sports teams, leagues, and content teams preparing for emotionally charged moments, helping them maintain safe, inclusive, and on-brand fan experiences—without overloading staff or risking brand integrity.
📥 Download the full report
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About Areto Labs
Areto Labs is a Canadian women-founded technology company and global leader in AI-driven content moderation, with offices across Canada, Europe and Oceania. Since its inception, Areto Labs has been at the forefront of tackling digital harm — pioneering world-first solutions to detect and remove hate speech, fraud and digital piracy from social media. Their proprietary moderation engine is trusted by leading sports leagues, broadcasters, rights holders, global brands, creators and public figures around the world to protect communities, strengthen engagement and create safer online environments. With a mission rooted in both technology and social impact, Areto is shaping the future of digital safety at scale. aretolabs.com
About Areto Software
Areto is an advanced AI content moderation and engagement software tool, empowering organizations to manage their social media with efficiency and control. Acting as an AI agent on autopilot, and powered by bespoke AI models, Areto gives brands, creators and public figures real-time, automated protection against harmful content and fraudulent activity, while optimizing engagement and reducing manual workloads.
Media Contacts:
Kasey Machin, Founder, Chief Operating Officer - kasey@aretolabs.com
Jacqueline Comer, Founder, Chief Product Officer jacqueline@aretolabs.com