FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS
You shouldn’t have to carry this alone
You're the one who sees the abuse first. Face Forward gives you real backup — sign up and let Areto handle the volume.
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We know what you’re dealing with
Before your politician knows what's been said about them, you've already read it. You're the one filtering the abuse, deciding what to escalate, protecting them from things they don't need to see — and carrying the weight of what you can't un-see yourself.
Coordinated pile-ons, bot-driven harassment, hate speech that arrives faster than you can moderate it — all while keeping the account active, the community engaged, and the politician focused on their work.
Most tools weren't built for this. Most people don't understand the scale of it. We do.
The time it takes
Hours lost to filtering, reporting, and moderating content that should never have reached you in the first place.
The mental load
Reading abuse all day takes a toll. You’re absorbing content that was designed to harm, and that has a real impact.
The responsibility
You’re the guardian of the online community. The pressure to get it right—and fast—rarely lets up.
WHAT FACE FORWARD MEANS FOR YOU
Real backup, not more work
Face Forward gives you and your politician access to Areto's AI protection — which means less volume hitting the account, fewer decisions landing on your plate, and more time for the work that actually matters.
AI handles the volume
Areto filters harmful content in real time, so the flood of abuse is reduced before it ever reaches you.
You set the standards
Configure the moderation threshold based on your community standards — so the protection reflects your values. Applies consistently across all connected platforms.
Less noise, more signal
Spend less time on moderation and more time on genuine engagement with the community.
Completely free
Face Forward is fully funded. There is no cost to your politician or your organisation to access the programme.
Not sure? Get in touch
ELIGIBILITY
Is Face Forward right for you?
Face Forward is available to social media managers who manage the accounts of women and gender diverse elected officials or candidates across Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific. And it's completely free.
✓ You manage social media accounts for a woman or gender diverse elected official or candidate
✓ They are based in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, or the Solomon Islands
✓ They are standing for election or currently hold elected office at any level of government
✓ Face Forward is fully non-partisan — any political party or independent is welcome
HOW IT WORKS
What Areto does
Areto sits across your connected social media accounts and works in the background — automatically filtering harmful content before it lands in your feed, so you're not the last line of defence.
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Areto analyses comments across your connected platforms as they come in — in under three seconds.
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Hate speech, abuse, spam, and bot-driven content is filtered automatically — based on the thresholds you set for your community.
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Your dashboard gives you a real-time view of what Areto is filtering, sentiment trends across each account, the ability to undo actions, mute accounts, and understand what's happening in your community. You can also identify supporters and sentiment trends— which is invaluable during an election campaign—plus download reports on moderation impact and the trends in your community.
Want the full picture?
Learn more about how Areto works, what it detects, and how it integrates with your existing platforms.
GETTING SIGNED UP
Two ways to get started
You can sign up directly, or if your politician prefers to register themselves, you can point them our way and we'll take it from there.
OPTION 1
Sign up yourself
Fill in the form and create an account.
OPTION 2
Have them sign up directly
Share the link to the elected officials and candidates page and they can register themselves.
Register
Sign up now
Register and we'll be in touch with everything you need to get started.
GO TO REGISTRATION FORM HAVE THEM SIGN UP INSTEADFree to join · No obligation · Takes 5 minutes
FAQS
Common questions
About Face Forward
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Face Forward is open to women and non-binary people who are currently elected officials or candidates for office at any level of government across Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands. Participation is fully funded — there is no cost to join.
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Once you register, you'll create an Areto account and connect your public social media channels. The Face Forward team will guide you through setup and be available throughout the programme. You'll also be asked to contribute to the research component — sharing your experience through anonymous surveys to help build better protections for leaders everywhere.
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Face Forward is a two-year applied research initiative. Participants are supported for the full duration, with ongoing access to protection tools, the Face Forward team, and GIWL researchers.
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Face Forward is a research initiative and your experience will contribute to anonymised findings. Your personal data is handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws. The Face Forward team can answer any specific questions about how your information is used.
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Face Forward is a non-partisan, region-wide collaboration led by Areto and the Global Institute for Women's Leadership (GIWL) at the Australian National University, delivered with the support of ministries, local councils, political parties, and public institutions committed to safer democratic participation.
About Areto Software
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Hides abusive comments
Deletes spam
Works automatically, 24/7
Removes all comment data within 30 days of deactivating Areto
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Post content on your behalf
Read your DMs
Monitor your mentions
Scan comments on other people’s posts
Ask for or store your passwords
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Areto works on public Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube accounts.
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Yes, we do.
Ready to join?
Registration is free and open to social media managers of eligible women and non-binary people in public life across the region.
Not sure? Get in touch