AudioGuard: An Automated Warning System for Auditory Triggers in YouTube Videos

According to a 2021 scientific review by SPARK (Simons Powering Autism Research), 50 to 70% of autistic individuals experience hypersensitivity to everyday sounds at some point in their lives—a challenge also shared by many without autism. Despite the significant number of people affected, online protections and resources to reduce exposure to triggering sounds—especially on video and streaming platforms—remain scarce.

Our automated auditory trigger detection tool, an interactive Chrome extension, tackles this issue. Users can input words describing their sensory triggers, and the extension identifies and lists these triggers detected in a YouTube video before playback. Powered by a multi-class CLAP model and cosine similarity, our tool delivers high-accuracy detection to create a safer and more inclusive online experience. By empowering users to avoid distressing content, our tool promotes mental well-being and fosters accessibility for neurodivergent individuals and those with sensory sensitivities.