arXiv:2505.08990v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Live video streaming is increasingly popular on social media platforms. With the growth of live streaming comes an increased need for robust content moderation to remove dangerous, illegal, or otherwise objectionable content. Whereas video on demand distribution enables offline content analysis, live streaming imposes restrictions on latency for both analysis and distribution. In this paper, we present extensions to the in-progress Media Over QUIC Transport protocol that enable real-time content moderation in one-to-many video live streams. Importantly, our solution removes only the video segments that contain objectionable content, allowing playback resumption as soon as the stream conforms to content policies again. Content analysis tasks may be transparently distributed to arbitrary client devices. We implement and evaluate our system in the context of light strobe removal for photosensitive viewers, finding that streaming clients experience an increased latency of only one group-of-pictures duration.
Expert Commentary: The Future of Real-Time Content Moderation in Live Video Streaming
As live video streaming continues to gain popularity on social media platforms, the need for robust content moderation has become increasingly important. With the limitations imposed by real-time streaming, traditional methods of offline content analysis are no longer sufficient. This paper introduces extensions to the Media Over QUIC Transport protocol that enable real-time content moderation in one-to-many video live streams.
The multi-disciplinary nature of this work is evident in its integration of concepts from multimedia information systems, artificial reality, augmented reality, and virtual realities. By leveraging client devices for content analysis tasks, the system demonstrates a novel approach to distributing processing power and reducing latency.
One key innovation presented in this paper is the ability to selectively remove objectionable content from live streams, allowing playback to resume once the stream conforms to content policies again. This approach not only enables real-time moderation but also minimizes disruptions for viewers.
By implementing and evaluating the system in the context of light strobe removal for photosensitive viewers, the authors have demonstrated the practical implications of their work. The minimal increase in latency of only one group-of-pictures duration showcases the efficiency of their solution.
Implications for the Future
The advancements in real-time content moderation presented in this paper have significant implications for the future of live video streaming. As platforms continue to grapple with issues of harmful content, this innovative approach could provide a scalable and effective solution for ensuring user safety and compliance with content policies.
Furthermore, the integration of client devices for content analysis opens up possibilities for leveraging distributed computing resources in other multimedia applications. This approach could be extended to enhance user experiences in areas such as virtual reality, where real-time processing is essential for creating immersive environments.
In conclusion, the work presented in this paper not only addresses a pressing need for real-time content moderation in live video streaming but also demonstrates the potential for cross-disciplinary collaborations to drive innovation in multimedia technologies.