Prediction: After Apple implements this, there will be an unusual spike in Android and other non-iPhone phones sales among 12-25 yr old users with a sharp drop in iPhone sales to the same.
Today the US Patent and Trademark Office approved a patent Apple filed in 2008, which, get this, prevents users from sending or receiving “objectionable” text messages. The patent’s official title? “Text-based communication control for personal communication device” which actually doesn’t use the pretty ridiculous noun/verb “Sexting,” but come on, we all know what they mean.
The “Sexting” patent background info states that the problem it solves is that there is currently “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.”
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Ladies and gentlemen this means that Jobs and company have just sealed the deal on a solution to the number one fear of parents across America, kids sending “unauthorized texts.” As it looks like whatever algorithm or control the system is comprised of will basically censor the transmission of R-rated content on iPhones, is this the first sign of the end of “Sexting” as we know it?
@jman
Yes and Apple won’t demand that the filter is on before you can post to a website that children might access, ie any of them
Companies wont insist that it’s on as part of their anti-porn web policy.
Then somebody will decide that drug or criminal term will be blocked for public decency.
Gee, I thought they were kidding when they called Steve Jobs GOD.
But now I guess they were right. Thank you Apple for now becoming part of the Moral Majority.
Whatever…the real burning question here is:
Who’s the female in this article’s picture? We *MUST* know…
Since when is Apple our “nanny government” Dallas?
They are bigger than the government, they are our corporate masters.
#17 Pedrito, you should be concerned Apple is developing a sex free phone platform. The Conservatives may just push this new nanny feature as a requirement for all cellphones.
Thoughts on this serious matter?
Don’t know if you guys notice it or not but there’s a hot chick there! Name please
#17 Pedro,
You just don’t get the joke don’t you?
None of you seem to get the big picture: By awarding this patent, Apple has an exclusive right to this technology, meaning no one else is allowed to censor “sexting” unless they pay a royalty to Apple.
Now if Apple were to get a patent on “sexting” itself, well THAT would be very bad.
Something here I think is more important is, Why the hell is this worth a patent? It’s a software sort and a goto command. The patent office has gone crazy. They are allowing patents on ideas. The patent system is in serious disarray.
Secondly – if you filter out the word dick do the kids have to call their friend Rick? Will the kids then say things like “suck your rick”? Kids will still say nasty things by text, they’ll just devise a new vocabulary. Of course, the new vocab will make the job of parenting even more difficult.
I say Fail for the patent office
and a Fail for Jobs
Apple (Microsoft, Google, Oracle, IBM, Cisco, etc) has thousands of patents they’ve never implemented. They have 7 inch and 5 inch ipads in their engineering labs. They have cars that on unicorn farts.
It’s a story when a ship date is announced. Reporters who skulk patent filings are morons.
P.S. However, more pictures of the girl would be relevant to my interests.
I don’t like the Steve Jobs “anti sexting” nanny software, and won’t buy any Apple hardware that contains that stuff.
However, that girl is one of the prettiest females I’ve ever seen. She probably has Windows software on her PDA…
Fine by me, just gives me one more reason to never own an Apple product, not like I was planning on buying one anyway.
Fuck you Steve Jobs. Cram your company straight up your tight ass.
#25 Yet you are the one who owns mac products. Sheeple much?
#27 Yes, I did. The one that didn’t seem to get my joke is you though.
By patenting this “tech”, perhaps the aim is to prevent anyone else from creating something better. And when are they going to stop patenting software, and copyright it like any other form of art? Which is what Steve Job himself has always promoted Apple wares as.
Anyway. I’d be more concerned with what else this anti-sexting software might be “anti”, at some later date. Change a few parameters, and it becomes a grass roots government opposition blocker. Or an anti-tyrant blocker.
Marc is a premium member at shutterstock.com it appears. Have to admit though, they do have some very nice photos.
I am left wondering where a progressive liberal company like Apple is going with this idea.
Look! she’s not wearing the towel anymore (NSFW!)
http://tinyurl.com/25kpykw
It’s a design for a user preference. An available content filter. You know, like every search engine has?
This are useful technology to prevent the increasing crime, i agree to this!
By patenting this “tech”, perhaps the aim is to prevent anyone else from creating something better. And when are they going to stop patenting software, and copyright it like any other form of art? Which is what Steve Job himself has always promoted Apple wares as.
The program is intended to help parents filter teens’ text messaging. The stated intention of this program is anti-sexting. Apple’s “anti-sexting technology” is built to regulate and control a full range of mobile communications.it is a part of parental control settings. to keep children from sending or receiving sexual explicit content, to protect them