'Anti-Sexting' Patent Awarded To Apple

According to TechCrunch, Apple has just been awarded a patent for what looks to be a system that can prevent users from sexting on their phones.

It's not called an anti-sexting feature, but it seems able to accomplish that very task. The patent is for a "Text-based communication control for personal communication device."

Sexting is not explicitly mentioned in the patent's description, although it does make mention of a "parental control application" included in the "control application" that "evaluates whether or not the communication contains approved text based on, for example, objective ratings criteria or a user's age or grade level, and, if unauthorized, prevents such text from being included in the text-based communication." (Emphasis added) The patent continues, "If the control contains unauthorized text, the control application may alert the user, the administrator or other designated individuals of the presence of such text. The control application may require the user to replace the unauthorized text or may automatically delete the text or the entire communication." (Emphasis added).

The patent's abstract (via ReadWriteweb) offers more detail, and notes that the patent could be used to help children learn languages:

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for enabling a user to control the content of text-based messages sent to or received from an administered device. In some embodiments, 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. The content of such a message is controlled by filtering the message based on defined criteria. The criteria may be defined according to a parental control application. These techniques also may be used, in accordance with instructional embodiments, to require the administered devices to include certain text in messages. 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.

Apple has become notorious for its work to keep X-rated content off of the iPhone and other iOS devices--for example, earlier this year, the company removed thousands of sexually explicit apps from the App Store (See Apple's most ridiculous banned apps). Apple CEO Steve Jobs also allegedly promised "freedom from porn" in a fiery email exchange.

Despite having secured the patent, it's not clear when Apple might implement this "control application," if ever.

What do you think of the device? Is it helpful or does it go too far?

Comments

[Ameriki]

12:15 AM on 10/15/2010

How many additional text messages will this app generate? Two, three, five? Sociological and political issues aside, this app could at least double the revenue stream.

[Radarman]

11:30 PM on 10/14/2010

! M.02 AFAICT for Apple to think they can act like 9 and block kids talking about 8 makes me LMFAO.

If you don't know what I just said then you probably think the app will work.

[Radarman]

10:56 PM on 10/14/2010

Never did understand the wild fear over the sexting thing. In almost all states two 17 year olds can undress, look at each other naked, spend the night making love and it is all legal. But if one sends the other a naughty picture in the morning they are both subject to arrest for child porn. Under those silly rules almost all of us should be arrested for what we did playing "I'll show you mine" at 5 years old.

[axt113]

09:00 PM on 10/14/2010

Iphone sales plummet

Android sales increase

[maurilius]

02:02 PM on 11/29/2010

Not in my house. You obviously do not have children.

[JohnDrake6]

05:50 PM on 10/14/2010

hmmm

[JohnDrake6]

05:48 PM on 10/14/2010

Any one who has had a HuffPost comment rejected for innocently using a word with both acceptable and unacceptable definitions, or who has altered a word's spelling to circumnavigate the site's auto-censor, will immediately recognize what a collosal c*ck-up this application would be.

[General Public]

05:34 PM on 10/14/2010

If you're a parent who wants to prevent "sexting", why not get your kid a phone that doesn't do text messaging at all and only does voice calls? And to keep them from goofing off, it can be a nice primitive phone that doesn't support any "apps", only phone calls and nothing else. Personally I recommend the bananaphone, which has an even better ad than the iPhone ads: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VHSqJINm7M

[gemzenith]

05:16 PM on 10/14/2010

Don't buy a phone with fancy pants app capabilities, then. Get an ugly old plain- jane and make them communicate with actual voice phone. To create maximum teenage humiliation and embarrassment in the result of never wanting to use said phone... ever.

[Max Shaw]

04:06 PM on 10/14/2010

So this app is for parents? Im just spit-balling here, but...what about an app to stop ALL OTHER APPS?! Clearly this app wont be the only issue for any parent who actually buys their kid an iPhone..

[James Walton]

03:22 PM on 10/14/2010

We need to really look at what this device represents. Whether or not it is intended to protect children, or can in fact do so, it represents an attempt to create the wholesale acceptance of nationwide censorship by the general population. Anytime the government, or other powerful entity, wants to ram another civil right reducing measure down our collective throats, they hide behind children. In the process, everyone jumps on board with it because who doesn't want to protect children? Once accepted, the true purpose of the measure quietly unfolds out of site from public view. Once implemented, it is never reversed. Children eventually grow up and leave the home, the fallout from these measures is forever.

Beyond protecting children, this device can be used for censoring any other from of communication that is deemed unacceptable. Make no mistake about it, it will be used for such purposes in time... and, most likely, against the very children that it was said to protect when they finally become adults.

Why is censorship dangerous? If you control communication, you control ideas. If you control ideas, you control actions. When you control actions, you control the people you rule. Just look at Iran, China, North Korea, Cuba or any other country we deem having a controlled media. We sit back and ask, "why don't these people just rise up?" They generally don't because their access to information is controlled by their governments. Iran's cellphones were censored during the attempted revolution.

[ValdaDeDieu]

04:21 PM on 10/14/2010

We should just start calling Apple "Big Daddy"..(Or Mommy if you're so inclined...)

[Radarman]

11:00 PM on 10/14/2010

You got that right. Soon big GXXXXXXXXX will be seXXXXXXX everything we say. They will want XXXXXXXX of all our commuXXXXXXXX.

[twhiting9275]

02:10 PM on 10/14/2010

Here's the deal:

Apple has an obligation to keep their store (app store) free of adult material. This obligation is both a moral and a legal obligation. Claiming "I didn't know the kid was a minor" is no excuse, you're not allowed by law to sell adult material to a child, period. The fines for this can be astronomical. Now that's not saying they won't get their hands on this stuff anyways, but it relieves Apple of the liability if THEY don't distribute it through THEIR store.

As far as denying 'sexting', that's just absurd. There's no way they'll pull that off and not lose business.

[Yellowbird]

10:38 AM on 10/14/2010

Well, I suppose those out there who love having some invisible parent control them, this product is worth buying. You know, the kind of folk who want to be restrained and told what to do?

Concerning the children? They shouldn't have APP PHONES. They should have parental control on their computer usage. PERIOD.

I raised 4 teens and I controlled the computers in the house. No porn. Not even the husband.

[J-Bro]

11:34 AM on 10/14/2010

"the kind of folk who want to be restrained and told what to do"

"No porn. Not even the husband"

Sounds like the perfect product for your household

[ectoendomezo]

11:37 AM on 10/14/2010

I agree..however..with all due respect:

Women who Interfere with the male Imperative to Onanism..and..the Male Need for "Self Determinism"..by "Controlling" their Husbands/Mans access to.."Adult Material"..well..again..with all due respect..such Women are considered to be:

Naive at best! And at worst? Controlling Antagonists!

And the Men..in those situations?

Well..Unless their Only.."Associations" are with Other..Controlled Men..Then they're Ruthlessly Hassled for being:

"Whipped"!

A Universal Crown Of Thorns!

A "Punchinello"..a Weak..Easily Intimidated..Thus "Ineffectual Male Figure".

Emasculated By A Woman!

Hey..I'm the first to admit.."Strong Feminine Influence"..in "Evolutionary Terms"? Is Probably a Good Thing!

In fact..there's very real evidence of this:

"The Renaissance".

Yup! The "Renaissance" was the Direct..Result of a "Sociocultural Moment In History".

A Combination of..the Oldest Men..Marrying the Youngest Women..Procreating..then.."Passing On"..Left a Generation of Italian and..European Male Children..under the Sole Influence of..Young..Cultured..Widows!

This Incredibly "Softening" Influence upon Male Children..is the Root Of The Renaissance!

Art..Music.."Culture"..Valued Infinitely More..than "Martial Sciences and Manly Pursuits"!

Sadly..Our "Culture"..is literally.."Anti-Renaissance"..on every level!

Thus..any Man..that Allows his Wife to control what he Does "Privately"..Becomes a "Man"..in "Elipses"!

Result? "Psychoneurosis"!

Simmering Rage and Resentment..must remain "Blocked Impulses" for a "Family Man"!

Thus their "Expression In Another Form" is Well Documented and Universally Known: Infidelity and..often..Violence!

[gemzenith]

05:10 PM on 10/14/2010

I don' t know... I was a repressed wife with a fair amount of rage. I think that repression can go both ways and is not an exclusive trait of shrewish wives.Men can be that way as well so I think it may be only a trait of certain individuals. Or I'm a freak.Whatever I'm Ok with that. too.

[Johnathan Plate]

09:31 AM on 10/14/2010

wow, I think so many posters forgot what they themself did as a teenager! I didn't have texting or sexting, but I still got in trouble alot with Girls. I think its kind of sad that sexting has replaced more tradtional forms of teenage behavior, like skinny dipping, or randomly being flashed through a car window while waiting to get out of the parking lot in high school.

Sexting is safer then skinny dipping, that is for sure, If my boy is seperated from his girlfriend and she is sending him dirty text messages from across town, at least he doesn't have the right there opertunity to make me a grandfather before I am 40, like I did when in a pool with a naked girl.

[ectoendomezo]

12:32 PM on 10/14/2010

100% Agreement!

In fact..thats one of the most disturbing aspects of this..Psychotic Control and its Daily Increases!

I'm an "X-er".

"The Last Innocent American Generation".

We were Not.."Drug Tested" to play Sports..or..as I recently read.."To Go On Field Trips"

We were Not "Locked Down"!

But We Were.."Allowed"..to Be..CHILDREN!

This could Not Be..More..Serious!

That Freedom..even if it results in Lifelong Guilt..is critical..I for example..have incredible guilt from killing Polywogs one afternoon when I was 14..to this day...the very idea fills me with soul crushing sadness at my mistake!

But I Learned..and whats more..was not "Singled Out" for an Intense Course of Intimidation and Psycho-babble!

And thats the incredibly serious aspect of this:

Now..such "Incidents"..start an entire "Process" of Intimidation and Immeasurable Psychological Harm!

It would begin with the "Snitch Networks" now actually.."Taught" at "Seminars on School Administration"..Then the Horrific Reality would "Automate":

1) Being "Counseled" by some Controlling..Petty Tyrant "Adult".

2) Being Stigmatized and "Singled Out" for whats in fact..Childish Behaviour!

3) Even..Likely..Being "Medicated" as a result.

4) Almost Certainly.."Professionally Intimidated" by "Police"!

This Effort's literally..a "Rationalization"..for Control of "Content". Beginnings Of Corporate Authoritarianism!

"Ironic" that Corporate "Speech" is now "Free"..while "Freedom of Speech" for Citizens is Being Aggressively Controlled by those very same Corporations!

A "First Effort" toward Controlling the Free Flow Of Information and Ideas!

[GoDogGo]

12:38 AM on 10/14/2010

What is wrong with you people?! Do you really want YOUR young children to be sending explicit texts and na/ked pictures of themselves? The people whining here have completely lost sight of their judgment for the opportunity to irrationally bash (again) on a brand.

With more of everyone's lives going online, including our children, an opportunity to serve as a "network administrator" is a good thing. Parents have to protect children from themselves and this is an *excellent* tool for doing so.

[joeschmeaux]

06:30 PM on 10/14/2010

Nobody wants kids to sext, but people should be realistic about it. A kid getting caught sexting should not face criminal charges (which include but are not limited to disseminating child pornography, which can bring five years per pic for an adult offender -- I especially pity the 18 year old "adult" who gets caught sexting his or 17 year old boyfriend or girlfriend), nor should he or she be branded a sex offender.

In 2010, we should be more mature and understanding about the development of sexuality in children. The fact is that as kids develop physically, they develop sexually. As long we continue to ignore this and deny kids the knowledge they need to cope with it, kids will experiment with and develop their sexuality on their own.

continued...

[joeschmeaux]

06:30 PM on 10/14/2010

No amount of controls we place on them will postpone their sexual development. A texting sensor will only generate a new language that only kids will understand and apple will have a difficult time keeping up with it for their ever changing list of prohibited words. Kids will still be able to print and distribute nude pics of themselves, either by email or in person, so perhaps we should take their cameras too? Now that I think of it, their laptops have cameras these days too. Maybe we shouldn't allow them to use chat, send snail or email, or use the internet at all, for that matter. That would surely stop them from acting on their sexual urges, wouldn't it?

We want kids to make good choices on their own. Parents have little control over them after high school, so discussing the hard stuff before they leave home is the only way to go. Parents who rely on electronic controls to raise their kids, only teach their kids to hide from them. Parents who discuss sexuality (and the true legal consequences of getting caught sexting these days) with their kids, give them the tools they need to make informed and wise decisions when the need for them arises -- no pun intended.

[trojoe]

11:46 PM on 10/13/2010

If it's a parental control, cool. Otherwise, hands off my first amendment.