Combating Online Abuse with Emerging Technology: How SixPivot Built Social Protect
- Oct 2, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: May 19
Industry: Online Safety
Location: Australia
Platforms: Meta, YouTube, Discord, TikTok, X
Supported by: JumpSpiders & 6X Ventures
Technology: Azure, AWS
SixPivot partnered with founder Shane Britten to build Social Protect, an AI-powered platform that automatically detects and removes harmful content from social media in real time, without requiring users to share account credentials. Developed through SixPivot's JumpSpiders innovation centre, Social Protect has removed more than five million abusive or hateful comments across its client base since 2024, earned international recognition from law enforcement, and won the national Telstra Business Award in 2025 in the Building Communities category.
The problem Social Protect is solving
Online abuse and cyberbullying have become defining challenges of the digital age, and existing moderation tools have consistently failed to keep pace. Research indicates that up to 80% of public figures have experienced some form of online harassment, while around 37% of young people aged 12 to 17 have been bullied online.
Traditional moderation methods leave users exposed to harmful content for extended periods, and most available tools require account access, raising legitimate privacy concerns.
“We created Social Protect to ensure all social media users can protect themselves and their followers from abusive comments and have on-demand access to our education resources. SocialProtect keeps full control in the hands of social media account owners – there is no need to share your passwords or credentials with it, it can’t post as you or read your DMs, it just keeps you free from abuse.”
Shane Britten, Founder, Social Protect
How SixPivot built Social Protect
Social Protect was developed through JumpSpiders, SixPivot's internal innovation centre dedicated to building technology solutions that are both technically advanced and socially responsible. The project also reflects the broader mission of 6X Ventures, SixPivot's investment arm founded by Faith Rees, which helps entrepreneurs bring their MVPs to life by providing not just capital but the development expertise to turn early-stage ideas into market-ready products.
The development process involved:
Integrating advanced machine learning models for context-aware content analysis
Building a system capable of adapting to new and evolving forms of abusive language
Implementing robust security measures to protect user privacy
Creating an AI-driven Education Hub powered by OpenAI on Azure
Designing a scalable architecture on AWS for performance and reliability at a global scale
The platform connects legally with APIs from social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Discord, and X, without scraping, preserving both platform compliance and user trust.
How Social Protect detects and removes harmful content
Social Protect analyses content in real time using AI models trained to understand context and intent, not just keywords. Key platform capabilities include:
Real-time content analysis and removal across connected social media channels
AI-powered understanding of context and intent, reducing false positives
Support for more than 100 languages
Multi-platform integration across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Discord, and X
User privacy protection: no credential sharing required
An AI-driven Education Hub for online safety guidance, built on OpenAI on Azure
The impact Social Protect has had on online safety
The results have been measurable and significant:
Across all clients during 2024, Social Protect removed 1.17 million abusive or hateful comments. In the first half of 2025 alone, that figure grew to nearly 4 million, reflecting both platform growth and the scale of the problem.
In sport specifically, Social Protect removed more than 350,000 comments from WNBA league and club social media channels throughout the 2025 season. A trial with Rugby Australia resulted in 1,500 hateful comments being removed from the Rugby Australia Facebook page, including content that was later referred to law enforcement. The trial led to a landmark deal to provide Social Protect across Australian rugby, down to grassroots clubs.
National and international recognition for Social Protect
Social Protect has received significant recognition from both international law enforcement and the Australian business communities.
Founder Shane Britten won the Technological Innovation Award at the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) 2025 awards ceremony in London, a recognition specifically for innovations that protect children from online exploitation.
"Social Protect has emerged as a groundbreaking solution that not only meets but exceeds the standards for excellence in safeguarding digital spaces. It is one of the only platforms of its kind that does not use scraping and legally connects with APIs from social media platforms such as X, TikTok and Meta."
Spokesperson for The IPPPRI
In Australia, Social Protect and SixPivot placed 6th in the AFR Most Innovative Companies rankings in 2024. The platform won a Tech Partner News Impact Award in August 2025 for technology solutions creating meaningful social or environmental impact. In November 2025, Social Protect was named ACT state finalist and then national winner in the Building Communities category at the Telstra Business Awards, one of Australia's most prestigious business recognition programs. Shane Britten was also included in The Australian's Top Innovators 2025 list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Social Protect?
Social Protect is an AI-powered online safety platform that automatically detects and removes harmful, abusive, and hateful content from social media accounts in real time. It connects directly with social media platform APIs, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Discord, and X, without requiring users to share account credentials or passwords. It supports more than 100 languages and includes an AI-driven Education Hub for online safety resources.
Who built Social Protect?
Social Protect was developed by SixPivot through its JumpSpiders innovation centre, in partnership with founder Shane Britten. The platform uses machine learning for context-aware content moderation, with infrastructure built on AWS and an Education Hub powered by OpenAI on Azure.
What is JumpSpiders?
JumpSpiders is SixPivot's internal innovation centre, dedicated to building technology solutions that combine technical capability with social responsibility. Social Protect is one of the flagship products developed through JumpSpiders.
What is 6X Ventures?
6X Ventures is the investment arm of SixPivot, founded by Faith Rees. It supports entrepreneurs in building and launching their MVPs, combining early-stage investment with SixPivot's software development expertise. Rather than funding alone, 6X Ventures provides founders with the technical firepower needed to turn an idea into a working, market-ready product.
How many harmful comments has Social Protect removed?
Social Protect removed 1.17 million abusive or hateful comments across its client base in 2024. In the first half of 2025 alone, the platform removed almost 4 million comments, reflecting rapid growth in both its client base and the volume of harmful content generated online.
Does Social Protect work for sports organisations?
Yes. Social Protect has delivered significant results for sporting organisations, including removing more than 350,000 harmful comments from WNBA social media channels during the 2025 season. A trial with Rugby Australia led to a landmark deal to roll out Social Protect across Australian rugby, from the professional to the grassroots level.
Is Social Protect privacy-compliant?
Social Protect is designed with user privacy as a core principle. The platform does not require users to share social media passwords or account credentials, cannot post on users' behalf, and cannot read direct messages. It connects with social media platforms via their official APIs, without scraping.
What awards has Social Protect won?
Social Protect's recognition includes: the IPPPRI Technological Innovation Award (London, 2025); 6th place in the AFR Most Innovative Companies rankings (2024); the Tech Partner News Impact Award (2025); and the national Telstra Business Award in the Building Communities category (2025). Founder Shane Britten was also named in The Australian's Top Innovators 2025 list.
