Hey Mom, Dad, Apple Has Patented a 'Sexting' Filter
Tech News 5:55 PM
A patent for a "sexting" filter has been awarded to Apple. Blocking objectionable content in text messages may be cheered by parents of teenagers, but so far Apple doesn't offer a product that uses the sexting filter. Apple's patent could also be used for educational purposes. An analyst noted that a "lot of patents" don't become products.
A 2008 survey of teens by the National Campaign to Stop Teenage and Unplanned Pregnancy found that 21 percent of boys and 18 percent of girls have sent or posted nude or seminude pictures of themselves. Text messages and the devices that enable them have become more popular in the years since.
Apple's patent application was filed in 2008 and won approval Tuesday. The patent is entitled "Text-based communication control for personal communication devices." It notes that "one problem with text-based communications is that there is no way to monitor and control text communications to make them user-appropriate. For example, users such as children may send or receive messages (intentionally or not) with parentally objectionable language."
The patent covers "systems, devices and methods ... for enabling a user to control the content of text-based messages sent to or received from an administered device." It includes the design of a specific device in the form of a cell phone, satellite phone, cordless conventional phone, or personal digital assistant, as well as integration into the packaging of other "structures such a vehicle, video -game system, appliance, clothing, helmet, glasses, wearable apparel, stereo system, entertainment system, or other portable devices."
According to the description, "a message will be blocked (incoming or outgoing) if the message includes forbidden content. In other embodiments, the objectionable content is removed from the message prior to transmission or as part of the receiving process."
Help With Spanish?
The system would allow a user to define the criteria used by the filter. But its utility isn't restricted to blocking inappropriate content. It could be adapted for educational purposes, too, by setting requirements for admission to the inbox.
"These embodiments might, for example, require that a certain number of Spanish words per day be included in e-mails for a child learning Spanish," reads the application, which lists Michael M. Lee and Matthew M. Lee as inventors. A dictionary database may also be used to automatically correct typos and grammatical mistakes.
While the patent is newsworthy because of growing concern about sexting and its legal implications -- minors could be held responsible for possession of explicit pictures of peers -- it doesn't mean the product will be rolling out with the next iPhone.
"They haven't announced anything that implements this in the real world," said Avi Greengart of Current Analysis. "Apple has a lot of patents that never turn into commercial products."
Apple has also restricted some applications with racy themes from its App Store, which suggests the company wants to keep its brand squeaky-clean.
"It could be that," said Greengart. "Or it could be that the engineer who thought of this has teenagers."
Source: toptechnews.com
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