Anti-Sexting Software Patent

Well, leave it to Apple to help protect our kids!

Apple has purportedly patented software to identify inappropriate language in text messages and to either completely delete it or to replace with “age appropriate” verbiage. I suspect a database of offending words can be input into the phone by a parent and text message content will be verified against this database.

As a few of the articles indicate, this doesn’t stop the sender from thinking of the word, and while blocking the word itself is one thing, discussions with your children of the appropriate use of technology is another.

I wonder if in order to access this database the parent has to have access to their child’s phone (I suspect they would). I also wonder if in typical form, this software can be easily breached. Would the software recognize ‘iPh0ne” as “iPhone” or “iPh*ne”, for example? I’m also assuming that the software can be switched off (which means password protected; another password to remember…).

I’m torn between thinking this is a useful patent or just a spurious one. I suppose if you are giving your 8-year old a cell phone, it might come in handy. Perhaps not so much for my 13-year old daughter. I’ll have to mull that one over a bit.

Perhaps a better patent might be one that restricts texting during driving…

[Cult of Mac],[iSmashPhone]

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