Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Awarded 'Anti-Sexting' Patent

ctdonath said:
Yeah, nothing encourages a kid to talk like letting him know you're monitoring his conversations right down to counting occurrences of naughty words.
Click to expand...

Well, I thought it was clear I was talking about something the kid knew about. I am totally opposed to anything like this happening without full disclosure.

But I guess it wan't obvious. So I'm saying it here.

Carlanga said:
Why so many negatives to this, is the majority of the macrumors readership made up of underage kids now? As long as this is optional and not something to add to the auto-correction software I think is good. Most probably, they will implement this in the parental control settings. If this becomes obligatory for everyone then it's a bad move... They will make this as an optional feature for parental control to keep kids on track and I think is good.
Click to expand...

It's bad because it makes people stupider. I'm going to be opposed to that even if it is optional. Ok, so they're only making some people stupider? That's still not a good thing.
 
To all the pervs that immediately swear that their constitutional rights are being violated, THIS IS A PARENTAL CONTROL FEATURE!!!!! Unless you are a naughty kid whose parents have bought you
this awesome device out of the goodness of their heart, YOU HAVE NO NEED FOR ALARM.
If you have run into chris hansen frequently then you should vote negative and be pissed.
 
Didn't Apple already say parents don't use parental controls so that's why they censor the App Store for everyone?

So when they put this into iOS they'll then say they have to activate it for everyone because parents don't use parental controls?
 
jeff1977 said:
The kids will just use abbreviations/slang.
But there are so many words that could mean something completely different. Even if they start filtering abbreviations.
"I'm playing with dk!"
"Outgoing message contains banned text"
I meant Donkey Kong!

And doesn't FaceTime make sexting obsolete anyways??
Click to expand...

Don't worry, the iPhone 6 will have an anti-pornographic co-processor.
 
Matthew Yohe said:
Try reading the patent folks:

"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. "
Click to expand...

Quoting this, hoping the people running around like their hair is on fire will actually read it.


Seriously kids, read the patent.
 
So kids are now texting to each other what people my age said in hushed voices over the phone. What's the big deal here other than there being a permanent record of what you said to Suzy Q. Neighbor?
 
How about parents start parenting.


If you are worried about sexting maybe your child shouldn't have an iPhone. Just amazes me how technology is replacing parenting.
 
Dusse said:
I don't get why people are so negative about this. It's a setting, it's parental control etc, not a standard.

Personally I would love this if I had kids. I don't want to read their SMSs, but I'd love to be notified if they use certain words excessively so that I can have a talk about it with them without breaking their privacy (too much).
Click to expand...

Precisely. Apple's not getting all "big brother," it's just like other monitoring features available for parents to protect their kids. And I really like your idea of the "accountability" feature, that's the mark of good parenting (even though I know you're not a parent =D ).
 
Small White Car said:
I do have a kid and I'd feel like a total failure as a partent if I used this product.

Well, now, see, THAT sounds like a wonderful product. Seriously. I'd love to get an e-mail saying "your kid used the F-word 300 times this week." Then, yeah, I'd chat with him about it. Ask if he'd noticd that he was doing it...start a conversation.

But that's not what the article is about. It's about outright blocking the words as they're sent. Not cool.

So to bring it back to your first question again... People are negative because the patent doesn't match the idea you came up with. It's something different.
Click to expand...

It's a patent. It's meant to cover as much as possible. I think you need to read through the patent, as what I said is one of the many things that could be done with this.

"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. "

So, it can alert the parent about presence of such words. At the same time, it MAY require the user to change the text - focus on the may.

So yes, what I said is one very possible outcome of this patent.
 
skottichan said:
Seriously kids, read the patent.
Click to expand...

The technology is cool, no doubt, but that's not what the problem is.

It's all the people who are going to use it THINKING it's helping when really it doesn't. Meanwhile they ratchet down their "parenting time," thinking that technology is taking its place. Really, it's not, and the kids suffer.

I don't mind this tech. I mind how people end up using it.

Dusse said:
So, it can alert the parent about presence of such words. At the same time, it MAY require the user to change the text - focus on the may.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and that's the problem. Parents MAY end up using this to justify their lack of parenting skills with little other benefit.

You know what "may" means there? It means "will often."

Lame.
 
Diabeetus said:
unless this feature is completely optional, i don't like it.
Click to expand...

I can't believe you're even considering this. Of course it will be optional.

How is this different than any content filters in video games likes StarCraft 2 or World of Warcraft?
 
Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BlackBerry; Opera Mini/5.1.21052/20.2497; U; en) Presto/2.5.25)

And now "the only phone that has parental controls against sexting" Buy an iPhone to keep your kids safe. Lol...I can see it ready
 
Its too late! Apple already made sexting obsolete with FaceTime. Cameras on the front and back can see everything.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a parental lock for FaceTime as well.
 
Really?

I can't believe people automatically assume this would be a "NO OPTION" feature from Apple. The.... "Guess they are gonna censor my conversations with my wife".... and.... "I'm gonna switch to android if this happens" responses are ridiculous

Media will pick up the story..."Apple Censoring Texts" in 3...2....1
 
Small White Car said:
It's all the people who are going to use it THINKING it's helping when really it doesn't. Meanwhile they ratchet down their "parenting time," thinking that technology is taking its place. Really, it's not, and the kids suffer.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree with you more. Thats part of my issues with App store censorship. Parents need to step it up. Parenting these days (no offense to parents here) is a joke.
 
IDreamOfSpace said:
I can't believe people automatically assume this would be a "NO OPTION" feature from Apple. The.... "Guess they are gonna censor my conversations with my wife".... and.... "I'm gonna switch to android if this happens" responses are ridiculous

Media will pick up the story..."Apple Censoring Texts" in 3...2....1
Click to expand...

I, and I suspect others, were being intentionally glib.
 
Small White Car said:
The technology is cool, no doubt, but that's not what the problem is.

It's all the people who are going to use it THINKING it's helping when really it doesn't. Meanwhile they ratchet down their "parenting time," thinking that technology is taking its place. Really, it's not, and the kids suffer.

I don't mind this tech. I mind how people end up using it.
Click to expand...

But, at the end of the day, it's not Apple's fault that some people can't be arsed to be real parents.

I'm hoping that it's used more in the way that the patent is worded, i'd actually use it for myself, as I'm trying to learn my great grandfather's tongue (Scot Gaelic) so having it keep track of that as I communicate with my teachers, and extended family back in Scotland, would be brilliant.
 
Small White Car said:
Yeah, and that's the problem. Parents MAY end up using this to justify their lack of parenting skills with little other benefit.

You know what "may" means there? It means "will often."

Lame.
Click to expand...

It's not Apples responsibility to learn people how to be good parents etc. And there are plenty of way worse ways so screw up your kids. This is a feature that could potentially be very helpful and useful for a lot of people to be better parents (etc), so there really is no reason to not implement it because it might cause some people to be bad parents. If they use this the wrong way, I have no doubt they would be terrible parents anyway.


macsrcool1234 said:
Talk about stupid patents. This is by far the dumbest thing I have ever seen.

Thankfully you don't have kids. Please keep it that way.
Click to expand...

I'd love to hear why. I'm only 19 so I don't plan on having kids anytime soon, but I do strive to be the best parent possible when I do, so if you can point out to me why I would be a bad father, please help me.

miazma said:
Do you really think you can teach todays kids proper behavior by censoring a couple of words on their phone?
Click to expand...

No, but it can certainly be a good tool to help you raise your kids in a better way. There is no single tool that will make you a good parent, but good tools can help you become a better parent.
 
I guess we don't read articles anymore and just rate based on headlines? It's a parental control people! Obviously it won't be enabled by default. Apple isn't THAT dumb. Quit whining about nothing and read the damn article,
 
Dusse said:
It's not Apples responsibility to learn people how to be good parents etc.
Click to expand...

skottichan said:
But, at the end of the day, it's not Apple's fault that some people can't be arsed to be real parents.
Click to expand...

Well, yeah.

When I say that I'm complaining about the way people will use it I mean exactly that. No hidden message in there, although you both seem to be seeing one, I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back